Thursday 27 June 2013

Far Seeing DUKE – the Type 23 Frigate IRON DUKE after 16 months out of action undergoing a major overhaul has returned to sea.  Apart from all the usual trials to restore the vessel to operational service they will include the testing one of the world’s most advanced radars.   The IRON DUKE will be the first ship in the Royal Navy to be fitted ARTISAN – a 3D Radar which spins atop the main mast and is five times better than the old radar it replaces, and is packed with anti-jamming features.       This is part of a £100m programme to fit the Type 23 Frigates as well as the two future Aircraft Carriers.   It is also expected that the ARTISAN Radar will be the principal air radar for the Type 26 Frigates – referred to a “combat ships”.

The ARTISAN is claimed to be able to spot something as small as a cricket or tennis ball travelling at three times the speed of sound more than 15 miles away.    It’s built out of the same lightweight carbon glass fibre materials found on a Formula 1 cars and weighs just 1,540lb and as well as being able to track up to 800 targets simultaneously, it can do so if they’re 200 yards from IRON DUKE or 125 miles away!

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