Networked AESA Radar Coverage for Littoral Support Craft
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Solution Overview
Problem
Maritime vessels deployed from larger craft for littoral operations have limited radar capabilities, making them vulnerable and unable to effectively detect and track threats in the littoral zone.
Innovation Solution
Equipping smaller craft with a modular, demountable Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar and EO/IR sensors, and transmitting data to a central Combat Management System (CMS) for aggregation with mothership radar data to extend radar coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If smaller craft are equipped with limited RADAR capabilities to maintain lightweight design, then the vessel can be deployed easily from mothership, but the RADAR coverage and threat detection range are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines RADAR data from multiple smaller craft with the mothership's RADAR data through a Combat Management System (CMS). This merging of data sources effectively extends the overall RADAR coverage area without requiring each individual smaller craft to have complex, high-power RADAR systems. The aggregated data creates a composite picture that covers the entire operational area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from individual craft RADAR coverage to a three-dimensional networked RADAR system. By deploying multiple smaller craft at different positions and aggregating their RADAR data through the CMS, the system creates volumetric coverage in multiple dimensions, effectively extending detection range and coverage area without increasing the complexity of individual craft RADAR systems.
2Reliability
If smaller craft operate autonomously in the littoral zone, then they can conduct landing operations, but they become vulnerable due to limited detection capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the autonomous operational capability of smaller craft with enhanced threat detection by integrating their RADAR data into the mothership's Combat Management System. This allows the craft to operate independently in the littoral zone while maintaining reliable threat detection through the aggregated networked RADAR system, without adding complex detection equipment to each individual craft.
Solution Approach 2:
The Combat Management System (CMS) acts as an intermediary that receives RADAR data from multiple smaller craft, processes and aggregates it, and provides comprehensive threat detection information. This intermediary system enables autonomous smaller craft to maintain reliability in threat detection without each craft needing to possess complex detection capabilities independently.
3Area of stationary object
If modular RADAR systems are installed on smaller craft, then RADAR coverage can be extended through data aggregation, but the device complexity and integration requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the RADAR system into modular components that can be installed on smaller craft, with the antenna as one module and processing capabilities distributed across multiple platforms. This segmentation allows for easier installation and integration on smaller craft while maintaining the ability to aggregate data centrally through the Combat Management System on the mothership, extending overall coverage without proportionally increasing integration complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a maritime vessel configured to be deployed from a mothership, comprising a RADAR, wherein data from the RADAR is transmitted to a remote location for aggregation with other RADAR data to thereby extend overall RADAR coverage of an area.