Navigation Radar Portfolio Project

The Navigation Radar Portfolio (NRP) is a capability sustainment project that will replace the current Navigation Radars on the Ships and Submarines of the Fleet. The scope of this programme is Primary Navigation Radars (I Band), Second Navigation Radars (E/F Band) and Compact I Band Radars. Although the NRP is capability sustainment and funded through the Equipment Support Programme (ESP), there are new and enhanced regulations that form part of the requirement. These are IMO regulations and the MAA regulations, the latter being supported by Def Stan 00-972. The MAA regulations have to be adhered to due to the Primary Navigation Radar utilisation for Helicopter management. The NRP also has a ‘UK Eyes Only’ requirement embedded in the Radar requirements. It is envisaged that radar installation will commence in 2016 and be completed by 2020 and the capability will remain extant for 20 years from installation. There is a further NRP requirement to provide as much convergence of capability across the Fleet and to reduce Defence Lines of Development (DLoD) expenditure. This is a key driver in the maritime domain. The NRP project seeks to ensure as much commonality in spares, HMI and operator/maintainer experience between the I Band and the E/F Band radars. Additionally, the NRP has to consider the use of the bandwidth, in particular the likely event of spectrum sell-off, particularly in the E/F band.