Defence in Netherlands

Overview

Thales naval combat systems, sensors and SOTAS C4ISR solutions, meet a wide range of needs for surface and anti-air warfare. These systems solutions perform surveillance, command, combat and communication functions and support other systems from both US and European manufacturers.

Combat management systems

Tacticos is famous for its reliability and its ability to integrate virtually every sensor and effector. Its massive installed base and the unparalleled track record of integration have ensured a continuous evolution. Its solid legacy has made it the world’s most successful combat management system in service with navies on all continents.

Commander C3 is Thales’ Marine Command, Control, and Communications System for non-Combatant applications. It provides seamless near real-time sharing of the Common Operating Picture (contact data, messages, and geo-referenced map overlays) between vessels, helicopters, and shore installations. Commander C3 also provides gateway interfaces to achieve interoperability with major naval data link standards. The system is ideal for both civilian and military users who require an effective, affordable solution to address the technical and interoperability challenges associated with co-operation and co-ordination of various maritime agencies.

The Compact Sensor & Control System services the small ship market providing command and control, even automatic identification. It can be integrated with fire control systems in order to achieve full combat system capabilities. It is based on open-standards and architecture and capitalizes on the use of COTS technology.

Mission Solutions

Thales offers a complete range of domain oriented solutions for safety, littoral security, ocean security, point defence, local and wide area defence. The Mission Solutions for ships that operate in the maritime safety and security domain and/or in the defence domain with low intensity conflicts are standardized and pre-integrated. This makes them cost-effective, easy to install, easy to operate and considerably reduces delivery times.

Mission Solutions are standard configurations of the Tacticos Combat Management System, integrated sensors, effectors, communication system and navigation system. The range includes:

MS-100: aimed at vessel traffic patrol, fishery inspection, illegal immigration detection and search and rescue
MS-150: provides capabilities for littoral and ocean operations up to Maritime Interdiction Operations.
MS-300: designed to provide defence and security capabilities for today’s multi-role navies, on a platform with a gun-based defence capability

New Generation: 4D radars

Many navies face a new operational paradigm that requires the detection of a wide variety of objects in a complex above-water environment. This situation presents a difficult problem for the operational practitioner and the radar designer alike. While high-speed manoeuvring targets demand the earliest detection. Resulting in a short observation time, slow air and surface targets masked in heavy clutter require a longer observation time.

Presenting a solution to this dilemma, Thales has developed the next generation radar systems, purpose-designed to meet 21st century mission needs: dual-axis multi-beam radar. This innovative technology is founded on the flexibility, resolution and accuracy afforded by fully digitised active electronically scanned array (AESA) techniques.

4D means accurate and instantaneous indication of azimuth, range, elevation and radial velocity. Accurate measurement of velocity enables the prioritisation of high-speed threats such as anti-ship missiles. Just as important, Doppler measurement provides for the discrimination of low speed/low RCS objects in dense clutter. Furthermore, digital dual-axis multi-beam AESA confers an inherent capability for agile look forward/look back beam steering, enabling rapid track initiation and higher track update rates.

Thales’s range of 4D dual-axis multi-beam AESA radars includes NS100, NS200, SM400 and SMART-L EWC. However, more innovative radar systems are being developed; the introduction of a new family member is not far away.

Integrated Sensors: I-Mast

Thales has developed the I‑Mast family of integrated modular masts. An Integrated Mast houses several radar systems, communication antennas, optronic sensors, IFF antenna, satellite dish, etc. in one single structure.
The Royal Netherlands Navy has selected the Integrated Mast IM 400 for its four Holland class offshore patrol ships and the Joint Support Ship HNLMS Karel Doorman.
The advantages of an Integrated Mast include reduced ship-building times, increased performance, easier maintenance and lower lifecycle costs. The size and configuration of an Integrated Mast can be customized depending on platform and mission requirements.

Multi-function sensors

Thales is the leading supplier of multi-function radar systems.
APAR is the world’s first AESA type radar; its performance has been proven in many live firings trials APAR is operational on the Anti Air Warfare vessels of the Danish, German and Netherlands navies. The system guides an ESSM of SM2 missile to a threat through Interrupted Continuous Wave Illumination.

Surveillance systems

Thales’s range of naval surveillance radars is enormous: from the Scout Mk3 with its FMCW technology through the successful Variant and SMART-S radars to the new-generation NS100, NS200, SM400 and SMART-L EWC, Thales caters for every need.

Weapon control

In addition to the excellent fire control capabilities of the APAR and Herakles systems, Thales presents various dedicated fire control sensors. The latest member in the large STIR family is STIR1.2 EO Mk2. Combining radar technology with optronics, this sensor is operational in many modern navies. Mirador is a full 100% optronic fire control sensor. It offers impressive performance as well as the usual advantages a passive sensor has over a conventional radar.

Integrated Air and Missile Defence

Thales is realizing the contract with the Royal Netherlands Navy to exchange the SMART-L radar on board of the De Zeven Provinciën class ships for the new SMART-L MM/N radar. The last of four radars will be installed in 2023. The new SMART-L MM/N has an impressive range: up to 2000 km. With the same high resolution as the original version, SMART-L MM/N provides the user with true ballistic missile defence capabilities.
In October 2015 HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën, equipped with a prototype of the new SMART-L MM/N, participated in the At Sea Demo organized by the Maritime Tactical Ballistic Defence Forum, off the coast of Scotland. The Thales radar successfully tracked an outer-atmosphere ballistic missile travelling at 7000 km/h and provided real-time cueing information to a US destroyer that launched a SM-3 to destroy the threat. Simultaneously, SMART-L MM/N engaged and tracked two anti-ship cruise missiles that attacked two ships in the squadron. Two years later, an updated demo version repeated this phenomenal achievement in Formidable Shield. The first SMART-L MM/N that was on the test tower at the Thales site in Hengelo was able to witness the event that took place in the Atlantic Ocean off the Hebrides.

The radar / IFF combination will offer a near-instantaneous detection and identification capability against high-velocity threats.

Anti Air Warfare for small platforms

Apart from the AAW suite for high-end platforms such as destroyers and frigates, Thales can provide an AAW suite for smaller vessels. This capable AAW combat suite combines the NS100 or SMART-S Mk2 surveillance radar with a STIR EO Mk2 weapon control system and the TACTICOS Combat Management System.

SOTAS

SOTAS delivers interoperable, reliable and secure information and communication platforms, consisting of a family of modular components. These components can be configured and scaled to optimally address customer needs for all types of applications, platforms and vehicles in the safety, security and defence markets.

For many years, SOTAS is the benchmark for secure information and communication systems, providing various critical yet high quality audio and data services. SOTAS solutions are fielded in more that 30 countries installed in more than 26,000 vehicles of 50 types, as well as in public transportation systems.
More information is available on the SOTAS website.