Hybrid radar technology bursts onto the maritime market

At ICS, we strongly believe in the importance of exploiting our wealth of experience to deliver innovation today, making cutting-edge technologies easily accessible, reliable and affordable. This is the vision that has moved ICS to design, the XRAD-STRAITGARD, a new radar for VTS, Offshore and Navigation applications.

Two years of on-the-field testing, demonstrate the effectiveness of the XRAD-STRAITGARD, the X-Band hybrid radar family designed to go beyond the most recent IALA and IMO technical handouts.

The XRAD-STRAITGARD merges the capabilities of Solid-State and Magnetron technologies in an all-in-one radar, thus improving the performance in respect to any traditional configuration, either solid-state or magnetron based.

Furtherly, the XRAD-STRAITGARD provides the same level of reliability and availability of redundant solid-state-based radar configurations while expressing a higher value for money.

WHY HYBRID RADAR?

XRAD-STRAITGARD finally fills the technical gaps of solid-state technology, making the hybrid radar the choice of opportunity within professional VTS, offshore installations and Integrated Bridge System.

Best detection of weak targets in the short range and harsh weather condition

Short-range detection depends on transmitted pulses with typical duration of 50ns. This kind of pulses, within the solid-state technology, deliver a meagre compression gain resulting in a weak radar echoes. Doppler elaboration provides few information due to the velocity of the naval scenario. On the other hand, in the short range, the magnetron radar provides a 20dB stronger radar echoes, allowing an effective detection.

Effective triggering of RACONS and SART

SART devices, which have been designed to be triggered by Magnetron radars, remain indifferent to Solid-state transceivers unless in close proximity. In order to detect SART / RACON, the solid-state radar switches to a special mode of operation (i.e. “SART Detection”), which, on the other hand, disables the standard radar display and detection. Hence, by selecting the specific mode of operation for SART, the operator has poor SART detection and renounce to update the radar echoes.

Hybrid configuration, instead, allows effective detection of targets and RACON/SART, simultaneously and at any range.

With XRAD-STRAITGARD, the Authorities, whose clear mission is to safeguard the Life at the Sea, can coordinate eventual rescue activities with the support of the comprehensive vision of the surrounding scenario that includes both SART and radar echoes.

Best integration with oil spill SW modules

The magnetron (in the short-range) provides stronger radar echoes and a native “raw” (unprocessed radar video) analog video output, which extremely important characteristics that the Oil spill modules on the market require for correct integration with the radar

A wealth of configurations for any operational need 

UP-MAST: transceivers embedded into the scanner unit, reducing radar footprint, eliminating ancillaries for installation (waveguide routing, …) and saving time and personnel involved for the installation.

DOWN-MAST: transceiver embedded in a side cabinet, available as indoor or outdoor (typically used for refitting project with existing radar antenna)

ANTENNA: to be selected according to the application:

• Naval: 6ft and 9ft
• Offshore: 6ft, 9ft and 12ft
• VTS/CSS: 12ft, 18ft and 21ft

OPTIONS:

• World-unique integrated version, with simultaneous use of Solid-State and Magnetron

For more information, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, writing up at sales@xtechnologies.it