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BAE SYSTEMS announces major equipment selections

14 Mar 2001

Ref: 034/2001

BAE Systems, prime contractor for the Royal Navy's Type 45 anti-air warfare destroyer, has announced key systems contracts for this sophisticated new warship.

Brian Phillipson, managing director of the Type 45 programme, said: "The operational requirements for this ship are considerable. Satisfying them demands a very sophisticated and comprehensive range of sensors, weapons and systems.

"The principal systems of a modern warship are the key to its performance. Selection at an early stage of the programme ensures that performance, delivery and cost criteria can be met. This is crucial given the Type 45's demanding in-service date of 2007 and tight budget constraints.

"For the past year we have been working with the DPA (Defence Procurement Agency) in selecting suppliers for the major systems, using competition wherever possible. We have now built up a very capable team to help us deliver the Type 45 programme."

Combat System Equipment
The Type 45 Prime Contract Office (PCO) has awarded contracts to the following suppliers:

* A joint team from BAE Systems Combat and Radar Systems and Alenia Marconi Systems (AMS), for the supply of the Combat Management System (CMS).
* The same team for supply of the Data Transfer System.
* A team led by Thales Communications and including BAE Systems Avionics for the supply of the Fully Integrated Communications System (FICS).
* Raytheon Systems Limited, for the supply of the Type 45's Navigation System.

The combat system will be extremely effective and fully integrated. One of the key components is the Principal Anti Air Missile System (PAAMS), a highly capable area defence system from UKAMS, ordered separately by the DPA in 1999. UKAMS also supplies the long-range radar.

Procurement activities are in progress for other vital elements of the combat system including Electronic Surveillance Measures (ESM), the hull-mounted sonar, the Meteorological and Oceanographic System (METOC), Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) and the electro-optic gun control systems.

The high degree of integration of Type 45’s combat system demands a comprehensive set of land- based integration and test facilities. The Prime Contract Office is currently establishing these facilities as part of its integration role.

Power and Propulsion
The major elements of the Type 45’s power and propulsion system have been selected. This innovative system will simultaneously provide the means to propel the ship and power all electrically driven equipment.

* Rolls Royce will provide the WR21 advanced cycle gas turbine.
* Alstom Power Conversion Ltd will provide and integrate all other elements of the power and propulsion system, including the ship’s electric propulsion motors.

As with the combat system, a propulsion shore test facility is planned to ensure that all elements can be integrated at an early stage of the programme to avoid delay during the build phase.

Platform Systems/Equipment
The Prime Contract Office has also begun selection of suppliers for platform equipment, a process that will continue for the next year. A bidders conference will be held 1st May 2001 to encourage bids from a wide range of general systems suppliers. The first selection has already been made.

* The Platform Management System (PMS) will be supplied by Litton Marine Systems supported by Rockwell Automation.
* Brian Phillipson said: "I am delighted to welcome these suppliers on to the Type 45 team. All have had to meet the demanding performance requirements, which will deliver the cutting edge capability the Royal Navy requires. In addition, for the first time selections have been made on the basis of through life costs and the ability to accommodate flexibility and growth for the lifetime of the ship. Our selected suppliers can justifiably take great pride in their achievement. The Type 45 will be an outstandingly versatile and capable ship. It will form the backbone of the Royal Navy for much of the 21st Century, and I look forward to taking great pride in its success, and the success of our suppliers."

Notes To Editors:

Combat Management System (CMS) - enables the command team to manage and operate the combat system and achieve the ship's operational objectives. BAE Systems Combat and Radar Systems and AMS are the two leading suppliers of combat management systems to the Royal Navy.
Fully Integrated Communications System (FICS) - provides the warship with a high integrity internal and external communication system and should give every sailor access to e-mail. The Thales Communications/BAE Systems Avionics team has extensive experience of providing the RN with communications systems via joint projects such as the Integrated Communications Management System for the new LPD(R) amphibious assault ship.
Navigation System - provides sensors, processing and control facilities for the determination and distribution of own ship position, velocity and attitude data to other warship systems. Also provides sensors/processing facilities to support accurate navigation, visual and blind pilotage and collision avoidance, as well as performing radar surveillance of objects at, or close to the sea's surface. Raytheon has a long association with the RN supplying identification and navigation systems.
Data Transfer System (DTS) - connects individual elements of the combat system, including weapons and sensors, forming an integrated whole. It is the principal means of interconnection between processing subsystems within the combat systems for the exchange of digitised tactical and management data.

WR21 Advanced Cycle Gas Turbine - includes the gas turbine, combined gas turbine and alternator baseplate, engine controller and acoustic enclosure. Rolls-Royce has a long history of supplying gas turbines to the Royal Navy.
Power and Propulsion System - includes the supply of Alstom equipment such as the main propulsion motors and convertors, and other equipment which will be competed by Alstom on the PCO’s behalf.
Platform Management System (PMS) - provides machinery control and surveillance facilities as well as damage surveillance and control for the ship. It also, for the first time, provides direct information interfaces for other major systems on Type 45 via the DTS and FICS Local Area Network, to access vital information on the status of platform systems from a single interface.
Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS) - PAAMS is the major weapon system fitted to the Type 45. This powerful weapon system - and the UK variant - consists of a number of elements:

* PAAMS Command & Control
* SAMPSON Multi Function Radar
* 48 silo Sylver Vertical Launch System (VLS) capable of deploying any combination of the following two missile types:- Aster 15 – for Self Defence use and against Local Area Defence Threats; Aster 30 - for Self Defence, Local Area Defence and Area Defence.
PAAMS provides the combat system to engage and destroy aircraft and anti-ship missile targets threats both in defence of own-ship and others in its immediate area. If authorised by the command team PAAMS can conduct, fully automatically, a number of simultaneous engagements.
The Multi-Function Radar forms an integral part of PAAMS, providing surveillance and targeting data and the ability to pass up-link messages to active-homing Aster missiles in flight. In addition to this the MFR provides the combat system with three dimensional surveillance track data and is very resistant to jamming.
Long Range Radar (LRR) - extends the range of air surveillance and, in conjunction with the MFR, provides very comprehensive radar coverage for aircraft control, threat detection and evaluation, and tactical picture compilation. LRR is the S1850M from Alenia Marconi Systems, a modified version of Thales’ (formerly Signaal) SMART-L fitted to Dutch and German ships.