Following factory acceptance tests, Thales Nederland has completed the installation of its IM400 modular integrated mast on the Royal Netherlands Navy P840 HrMs “Holland” patrol vessel. The ship is to start in early 2012 a series of trials in the Caribbean.

The mast was shipped from Hengelo where it was assembled, to Flushing where it was installed on to the vessel. The IM400 five decks structure was built in Den Helder by the Royal Netherlands Navy.

IM400 consists of various subsystems which comprise SeaMaster 400 non-rotating S-band radar, SeaWatcher 100 non-rotating active phased array X-band radar, Gatekeeper panoramic electro-optical surveillance and alerter system, ICAS (Integrated Communication Antenna System) communications antenna system, NR IFF non-rotating cylindrical array antenna system (combining interrogator, transponder and Link-16 Tx functions), UHF satellite communications antenna, a SHF satellite communications antenna in the top of the mast, and an ESM antenna.

The mast include as well as cabinets, processing units, a automatic fire detection and extinguishing system, navigation lights, searchlights, racks, communications systems terminals and the TSB 3525 (IFF system) interrogator transponder system.

ICAS antenna system provides communications for VHF, UHF, GSM+UMTS, Wimax, Iridium and Link 16.

SeaMaster 400 radar system concept of multi-beam volume search with four active scanning faces ensures the simultaneous performance of all operational tasks at a high update rate and very low false alarm rate. The radar system also provides helicopter direction and approach capabilities and has three fire control channels.

SeaWatcher 100 radar enables fully automatic detection and tracking of all class of surface targets + slow air targets in single mode in most difficult environment with low false alarm rate.

Gatekeeper 360° panoramic electro-optical system is designed to counter emerging asymmetric threats down to small boats and swimmers. The system increases short-range situational awareness in littoral environments.

The second IM400 is to be installed on the second Patrol Ship HrMs “Zeeland” early 2013. The Dutch MoD aprocurement agency DMO (Defensie Materieel Organisatie) ordered IM400 for installation in the four Holland Class patrol ships (P840 HrMs “Holland”, P841 HrMs “Zeeland”, P842 HrMs “Friesland” and P843 HrMs “Groningen”) and in the single HrMs “Karel Doorman” joint support ship currently being built by DSNS (Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding).

The DMO has ordered four masts in 2007 and a single mast in 2010. The system was developed by the DMO, Thales Nederland, the TNO and several partners.

The ICCS 5 integrated communications control system from the Portuguese company Empresa de Investigação e Desenvolvimento de Electrónica SA (EID) was chosen to equip the four patrol vessels.

(Thales Nederland).

(Thales Nederland).

(Thales Nederland).