Hensoldt UK has been chosen to supply the UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary with its South African-made cutting-edge Quadome 3D surface and surveillance radar. This decision marks a pivotal step in bolstering the capabilities of the UK’s naval support fleet.
The British subsidiary of German sensor maker Hensoldt will equip three of the Royal Navy’s new military logistics ships with surveillance radar technologies featuring advanced friend-or-foe identification capabilities
The three new Fleet Solid Support (FSS) vessels, integral to the support of the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers, will be outfitted with the Quadome Naval 3D Air and Surface Surveillance Radar. Additionally, these ships will feature Hensoldt’s Air Traffic Management (ATM) system and Kelvin Hughes Integrated Navigation Bridge Systems (INBS), which include SharpEye naval navigation radars and multifunction displays.
Also part of the package is an antenna for classifying nearby objects as friendly or not, a key capability for crowded theaters like the Red Sea, where an international coalition of warships works to protect maritime traffic against attacks from Yemen-based and Iran-backed Houthi militias.
Hensoldt UK’s selection by Navantia UK for this prestigious project underscores the company’s reputation for excellence in defense technology. The FSS ships, each measuring 216 meters in length and displacing over 39,000 tonnes, are currently under construction at Navantia’s shipyard in Cadiz, Spain, and Harland & Wolff’s shipyards in Belfast and Appledore, with a total project cost of £1.6 billion.
In response to this new contract, Hensoldt is set to invest over £1 million into its Enfield factory and test facilities. This investment aims to establish a new European support hub for the Quadome radar, fostering local maintenance, repair, and support services, as well as creating job opportunities in the region.
The FSS ships that Hensoldt will equip will be a key part of the replenishment processes of the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.
Peter Dillon, Managing Director of Hensoldt UK, expressed enthusiasm for the contracts, stating that they align with the company’s plans for significant investment in UK manufacturing and support facilities. The establishment of a new Quadome radar support and test facility at the Enfield factory will leverage UK supply chain support and provide localized services to Navantia and the UK RFA.
The Quadome radar, developed in South Africa, is an active electronically scanned array (AESA) surveillance radar designed for naval, land, and air applications. It boasts a remarkable range from 100 meters to 200 kilometers and can process over 1,000 air and surface targets. Notably, the radar’s development, which began in late 2019, is a product of one of the largest radar development programs in South Africa’s history.
Hensoldt’s collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and key South African defense electronics suppliers has resulted in a radar system that is not subject to foreign export control due to its reliance on local intellectual property.
The Quadome radar’s compact size, affordability, and performance make it an attractive option for maritime security operations, providing 3D air surveillance and air defense capabilities to vessels. Its software-defined nature allows for adaptability to changing operational environments, and its predictive maintenance approach aligns maintenance activities with port visits, thereby extending its operational lifetime.
Furthermore, Hensoldt South Africa’s radar business unit, specializing in radar, IFF, datalinks, ATM, and radar services, showcased the Quadome 3D radar to the South African Navy, demonstrating its commitment to innovation and defense excellence.
In addition to its success in the UK, HENSOLDT has also secured a follow-up contract from an unnamed Latin American Navy for the SERO 250S periscope, further cementing its position as a leading provider of advanced defense technologies on a global scale.
The strategic deployment of the Quadome radar on the UK’s FSS vessels represents a significant enhancement of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s operational capabilities, ensuring that the UK remains at the forefront of maritime defense technology.
The company’s other products includes the innovative bushbaby surveillance system which Hensoldt announced recently that it is nearing the completion of the Bushbaby 200 system. This development comes on the heels of the successful launch of the Bushbaby 100 at the World Defence Show in Saudi Arabia.