Breaking news
MacArtney Connectivity Selected for Thales Bow Sonar System On Board FREMM Frigates.
| 2015
FREMM bow sonar SubConn connectivity. Picture: MacArtney |
|||
The connectivity FREMM frigates offer a low through-life cost that is unequalled for a 6,000 t warship. Primarily, this is achieved by pervasively selecting the most reliable, high-performance and cost efficient components available and by taking into account, at conception, all system maintenance needs. It was these principles that governed the choice of a SubConn connectivity solution to interface the bow mounted sonar system. Specifically, MacArtney supplies the ‘inboard’ lead-in cables running from the sonar dome (bulbous bow) to a central hub within the hull of the ship. Moreover, MacArtney supplied the ‘outboard’ SubConn underwater connectivity harnesses providing the power and signal interface for all sonar elements within the sonar dome. Underwater connectors were needed for this job, as the dome (which is manufactured partly from reinforced rubber that is transparent to acoustic signal) is flooded with chlorinated water in order to maintain its shape. A total of 96 ‘outboard’ harness cables were delivered, each featuring 5 power and signal outlets (2-pin SubConn connectors) for plugging into sonar elements - and one SubConn connector for interfacing with the ‘inboard’ system at the opposite end. In order to eliminate risk of corrosion, all the SubConn connectors supplied were of the non-metallic PEEK type. While all cables were manufactured with a specially designed polyurethane jacket, the ‘inboard’ cables were made from halogen free polyurethane material. All cables and connectors were tested to 4.5 kV. Link to FREMM frigate technical datasheet |
|||