Raytheon Anschütz delivers Integrated Bridge System for RiverHawk OPV Program

Raytheon Anschütz has recently tested and delivered an advanced Integrated Bridge and Navigation System for a new class of reconfigurable Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV), the RiverHawk Advanced Multi-mission Platform (AMP-145). The new ship design for OPV’s was developed by RiverHawk Fast Sea Frames of Tampa, Florida (USA), partnering with Raytheon Anschütz to develop and supply the bridge and navigation systems for the ‘First of Class’ ship.

The composite and aluminium AMP is designed to respond to diverse and rapidly evolving tasks associated with national and regional maritime security missions. The AMP features a compact, but efficient ship layout for operation with small crew sizes and systems required to exercise national and multi-national responsibilities for maritime security throughout the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The RiverHawk AMP series incorporates a range of patented design features focused on significant performance improvement, ease and simplicity of mission re-configurability, and major reductions in life-cycle costs for operations, maintenance, and repair. With an early 2011 launching date scheduled, the 145 feet long “First of Class” ship is planned for delivery to the Lebanese Armed Forces to operate as a Coastal Security Craft.

“RiverHawk has built key relationships with several global industry partners over the last few years – partners characterized by world-wide reputations for benchmark excellence in the systems they produce,” said senior Company official Admiral Jake Shuford (US Navy, retired). “Each of these key industry partners is at the top of its respective field, particularly in terms of performance, quality and investment in innovation” Shuford continued, “So it is not surprising that we have partnered with Raytheon Anschutz to incorporate its integrated bridge technologies. The Bridge System we have worked on together now for the last two years represents a very significant step toward the genuine COTS, open architecture solution that the maritime community has been reaching for over this last decade. It translates directly into simplicity of design and operation, improved performance, reduced costs of installation, and mission flexibility.”

Raytheon Anschütz has equipped the new OPV with a full Integrated Bridge and Navigation System, which is certified according to the ABS-NIBS classification. The Raytheon Anschütz scope of supply covers a suite of four wide-screen multifunction workstations for navigation, which combine the functions of Chart Radar, ECDIS and Conning. The standardized Human Machine Interface and an increased functionality empower the crew conducting their different tasks from any workplace on the bridge. For route planning tasks, another ECDIS has been installed featuring both, manual and automatic route planning functions. The NP 2035 autopilot was chosen to provide automatic track control of the most precise category C.

In addition to the navigation systems the Integrated Bridge System integrates the ship’s automation system, the CCTV and a thermal image camera. A separate Conning display is part of the main control bridge and displays, apart from all the relevant navigation data, selected data from the ship’s automation system. The C2/Operations room is fitted with a customized Situational Awareness Display which shares all charts, targets and movements with the Integrated Bridge System.

Kevin Overmoyer, Regional Sales Manager at Raytheon Anschütz, states: “Our Integrated Bridge System is designed to increase efficiency in operation. It features a network system that integrates the core ship electronics systems in a standardized but flexible manner to satisfy operational requirements of different missions and navies.”

The Captain’s Display, the redundant gyro compass system Standard 22, X-/ and S-Band Radar trackers, a full package of navigation sensors, the fully redundant data management and a radio station according to GMDSS A3, complete the Integrated Bridge System. Apart from the development and supply, Raytheon Anschütz has done the program management, the system specific documentation, the full system integration testing, the installation and the setting-to-work.

Raytheon Anschütz GmbH is a subsidiary of the Raytheon Company (Waltham, MA, USA) and a part of the Integrated Defense Systems department (IDS, Tewksbury). The company was founded in 1905 as Anschütz & Co and currently has more than 500 employees. All of the essential components for safe ship navigation are developed, produced, and meticulously tested at the headquarters in Kiel. A worldwide service network with more than 200 service stations serves as a prerequisite for reliable operation round-the-clock.

Raytheon Anschütz GmbH
Zeyestr. 16-24
D-24106 Kiel
Germany

www.raytheon-anschuetz.com

Press Contact:
Martin Richter
Marketing Manager
Communications
Tel.: +49 431 3019 512
Fax: +49 431 3019 94512
E-Mail: martin_richter@raykiel.com

This release was published on openPR.