Coastal Surveillance – Guarding coasts through clutter
Coastal areas are notorious for being difficult to protect. They are also notorious environments for legal and illegal activities as well as for providing armed forces an entry point into another nation’s territory. As we progress into what has been dubbed the ‘maritime century’, coastal countries can hardly afford to have unprotected coastlines; too much is at stake - economy and security.
Thales’ Coast Watcher 100 long-range coastal surveillance radars have been designed with these challenges and imperatives in mind. Capable of detecting small targets in all types of weather, they provide 24/7 coastal monitoring for complete peace of mind.
Coastwatch - seeing through the clutter
Complex topography, erratic weather, multiple activities, all contribute to cluttering the surveillance picture along coastlines, making it difficult to detect and identify potential threats. This can pose significant security challenges for coastal countries. Illegal activities taking place in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) - such as Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and illegal smuggling - have the potential to threaten economic and social security. Undetected intrusions, on the other hand, can severely threaten national security.
In order to support coastal countries in the protection of their coasts, Thales has developed the Coast Watcher 100. A long-range coastal surveillance radar, the Coast Watcher features antenna polarisation switching to enable detection through any type of weather - including rain. It enables operators to choose between linear and circular polarisation, allowing them to benefit from X-band sensitivity without its challenges.
Now you see it!
Seeing through the clutter of the coastal environment is but one part of the challenge of coastal protection. Potential threats vary widely in size, speed, and nature, and can be difficult to detect and identify in bad weather, especially if they are small and far away from the coast.
The Coast Watcher 100 has been designed to offer long-range detection of very small surface targets - such as Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIB) or jet skis - up to 100NM with a range resolution of 4 meters. The short wavelength features on the Coast Watcher 100 allows simultaneous detection and tracking of up to 1000 such targets. Additionally, the radar can also simultaneously detect and track up to 100 low altitude air targets - such as turboprop aircraft, small jet aircraft and helicopters flying above sea level - filling the gap potentially left by air surveillance radars.
Beyond the radar, a system
While some coastlines may be flat, allowing coastal radars to scan the horizon unimpeded, other (many!) coastal countries feature hills, mountains, and fjords. When coastal topography is so complex, being able to scan the horizon for possible threats may be challenging - or require multiple systems.
Thales has developed the Coast Watcher 100 to be easily installed at high altitudes - up to 1000 metres. Working closely with the customer, Thales determines the most appropriate location - area of interest and altitude - to provide the widest area coverage possible with fewer radars.
There is no need for a dedicated operator for each radar. Thales also provides control centres from which radars are remote controlled and where data from multiple radars is collected and analysed - whether as a single control centre or as a network of regional centres whose data is then collected by one overarching control centre.
Finally, depending on customer needs, the Coast Watcher 100 can be delivered as a full turnkey solution including radar, tower control, power supply, communication networks and civil works. It may also, if needed, be adjusted to integrate legacy equipment and, in a world where unmanned systems are becoming critical capabilities, the feed from unmanned surveillance systems.
In developing the Coast Watcher 100, Thales offers more than just a radar. It offers the solution and, where needed, the support necessary to ensure that coastal countries can maintain 24/7 surveillance of their coasts.