Seastema, an Italian marine automation provider, and German navigation system manufacturer Raytheon Anschütz have been chosen for the delivery of an advanced integrated bridge and navigation system for two military patrol vessels. The vessels are being built for the Italian Coast Guard at Fincantieri’s Castellammare di Stabia (Naples) shipyard.
The delivery is based on a frame agreement between Raytheon Anschütz and Seastema on the supply of sophisticated bridge systems in 2010. After the agreement went operative in 2011 with the supply of an integrated bridge system to a large megayacht, the team now enlarges the prospects to the naval vessel segment.
Under the agreement, Raytheon Anschütz provides its latest generation bridge and navigation systems, integrated with the Seastema ship automation system SEAS-Navy in one package. In addition to the SEAS-Navy automation, the bridge system delivered features solid-state and conventional radars, one electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS), and one multifunctional workstation with access to conning and ECDIS. Further ECDIS are supplied for training and tactic rooms.
The package is completed by the full sensor package and the new adaptive trackpilot NautoPilot 5400. Seastema, which is the main contractor, provides its ship automation system, SEAS-Navy, integrated with the bridge network, and provides important additional features like an advanced radar processor to find and follow surface marine pollution, a thermal imaging system, and an advanced imaging processing feature that enables the captain registering and analysis off-line. A 55in touch screen for the tactical room completes the supply of the command and control system by Seastema.
Jörg Dammrich, sales manager for Italy at Raytheon Anschütz, explains the value of the new bridge system: "Our integrated bridge systems are designed to increase efficiency in operation, for example by realising individual systems configurations or by allowing control of any function at any place. To allow larger system solutions with both navigation and ship automation, we entered the agreement with Seastema."
While this was at first designed for the megayacht segment, the concept has proven to also fulfil the demanding requirements of modern naval ships. "Together with Seastema we integrate the core ship electronics systems in a standardised but flexible manner to satisfy operational requirements of different missions and navies."
The high degree of integration and a standardised HMI make the bridge system especially suited for vessels with small crew sizes which operate in diverse and rapidly evolving tasks associated with national and regional maritime security missions.
The whole supply made by Seastema also includes the electrical equipment and control system of the hybrid propulsion system of the ship.