BAE’s LockNESS chosen as the next-generation maritime situational awareness solution

Today’s maritime forces, even those with highly advanced radar, are facing a growing threat from the proliferation of anti-ship missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Fast Attack Craft/Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FAC/FIAC), which can be deployed at a relatively low cost making them easily obtainable by enemies at sea and often undetected by radar. Currently, detecting these threats depends on the fatigue-prone human eye, which is why the U.S. Navy researchers launched the Combined EO/IR Surveillance and Response System (CESARS) program.

The Office of Naval Research’s (ONR) CESARS program combines two key subsystem requirements to make up an electro-optical shipboard defense system to protect surface ships from evolving threats. To meet one of these requirements, ONR and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory awarded BAE Systems a $3.9 million contract to develop a customized variant of its Lock-on Naval Electro-optic/infrared Sensor System (LockNESS™) maritime defense system, the company announced June 15.

With a wide field-of-view, the LockNESS maritime defense system integrates with existing onboard sensors to monitor the surrounding area with advanced algorithms and tracking software to create a 360-degree visual threat picture. This seamless integration with the sensor suite allows operators to track multiple threats simultaneously with a visual display track map to allow for man-in-the-loop evaluation. Using this advanced intelligence, operators have a distinct advantage in the battlespace with aided decision support that helps to eliminate human error.

The LockNESS solution meets a range of application requirements with a scalable software package and processing unit. The system integrates with existing hardware or can be fully customized to meet the precise needs of the mission. This modular roll-on, roll-off architecture allows customers to move the system between different platforms for a range of needs, helping to reduce life cycle costs for years to come.

“We have developed an innovative, cost-effective approach to quickly detect and track low radar cross section threats through the rapid intake of massive amounts of data associated with a high powered sensor,” said Somit Mathur, Imaging and Aiming Solutions program manager at BAE Systems. “The result is an integrated maritime defense system that provides enhanced situational awareness to better protect platforms and crews against surface threats by greatly shortening the detect-to-engage cycle.”

Source: BAE Systems