New Degaussing System for Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels

[Stoker]

MONTREAL, October 05, 2011 – L-3 MAPPS announced today that it has been awarded a contract to supply degaussing systems for the Royal Canadian Navy’s 12 KINGSTON-Class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels. These advanced degaussing systems will be delivered and supported locally in collaboration with SAM Electronics, an L-3 company, which produces one of the most effective means of ship protection against modern sea mines. The SAM Electronics solution reduces the magnetic signature of ships to safe levels mitigating the threat from sea mines and has been successfully delivered to 15 of the world’s leading navies.



“We are pleased to expand the scope of our product and service offerings in Canada to include electrical systems from L-3’s SAM Electronics business,” said Rangesh Kasturi, vice president of marketing and sales for L-3 MAPPS Marine Systems and Simulation. “As an industry leader, we are able to leverage our proven capabilities and the global footprint of L-3’s Marine & Power Systems group of companies to meet the increasing requirements of the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard.”



L-3 MAPPS has provided marine control systems, trainers and training services to the Royal Canadian Navy’s ships and submarines for over 25 years, and is currently implementing the Halifax-Class Frigates Integrated Platform Management System upgrade contract.

L-3 MAPPS, a division of L-3 Marine & Power Systems, has over 25 years of experience in pioneering technological advances in the marine automation field and over 35 years of experience in delivering high-fidelity power plant simulation to leading utilities worldwide. In addition, the company has more than three decades of expertise in supplying plant computer systems for Canadian heavy water reactors. L-3 MAPPS also provides targeted controls and simulation solutions to the space sector. To learn more about L-3 MAPPS, please visit the company’s website at www.L-3com.com/MAPPS.


Comprised of 25 operating companies, L-3 Marine & Power Systems (L-3 M&PS) is a worldwide leader in maritime automation and control, navigation, communications, dynamic positioning, and power distribution and conditioning for the U.S. Navy, allied foreign navies and commercial customers worldwide. With over 94 locations in 20 countries, L-3 M&PS is a cohesive, global partner with extensive capabilities and a proven track record in delivering the highest level of technology, service and integration. To learn more about L-3 Marine & Power Systems, please visit the company’s website: www.L-3com.com/MPS

The current degaussing systems the first four ships have haven't been supported for years, however I can think of more critical systems the ship needs to upgrade than the degaussing system. 

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

I am surprised they have decided to do any sort of upgrade with the midlife refit cancelled.

 

[Stoker]

I am surprised they have decided to do any sort of upgrade with the midlife refit cancelled.

Quite a bit of kit has been upgraded since they cancelled the mid life refit. New radars, new ops room, new diesel beds among others. There are a number of EC's waiting to be implemented.

 

[Edward Campbell]

A stealthy mid life refit?

 

[Stoker]

A stealthy mid life refit?

Things wear out and fail, systems spares are no longer supported. Its not like the MCDV's were procured with 20 years of spare parts support.

 

[Lex Parsimoniae]

The current degaussing systems the first four ships have haven't been supported for years, however I can think of more critical systems the ship needs to upgrade than the degaussing system.

Often it comes down to the colour of money.  Replacing stuff with "like" capability for supportability etc is NP.  Improvements is capital.  My understanding was that this is a capital project and hence adding capability.

Out of curiosity, what would you upgrade on the Kingston Class (in priority would be great)?

 

[Stoker]

Often it comes down to the colour of money.  Replacing stuff with "like" capability for supportability etc is NP.  Improvements is capital.  My understanding was that this is a capital project and hence adding capability.

Out of curiosity, what would you upgrade on the Kingston Class (in priority would be great)?

IFDMS, diesel fire pump, new gyro's, bow thruster, new IMCS for starters. Considering the fact we no longer mine sweep and do little of the route survey a new degaussing system while adding capability is fine, however when the ship starts to fall apart a shiny new degaussing system is little help.

 

[Lex Parsimoniae]

IFDMS, diesel fire pump, new gyro's, bow thruster, new IMCS for starters. Considering the fact we no longer mine sweep and do little of the route survey a new degaussing system while adding capability is fine, however when the ship starts to fall apart a shiny new degaussing system is little help.

What is IFDMS? 

I've heard that a new gyro is potentailly in the works but not bow thrusters.  The remainder are in-service stuff and thus NP funded.  Or not as the case may be. 

Have the Kingston Class given up mine sweeping?  I'm aware of millions being spent on that capability which could be re-directed.  Something for Tuesday forenoon.  Often the HQ is the last to hear of these changes for some reason!

 

[Stoker]

What is IFDMS? 

I've heard that a new gyro is potentially in the works but not bow thrusters.  The remainder are in-service stuff and thus NP funded.  Or not as the case may be. 

Have the Kingston Class given up mine sweeping?  I'm aware of millions being spent on that capability which could be re-directed.  Something for Tuesday forenoon.  Often the HQ is the last to hear of these changes for some reason!

Intergrated Firefighting and Damage Control Monitoring System. As for mine sweeping i'm referring to the mechanical system that the ships used to use.

 

[Lex Parsimoniae]

Intergrated Firefighting and Damage Control Monitoring System. As for mine sweeping I'm referring to the mechanical system that the ships used to use.

Thanks.  I'm surprised that those types of systems are u/s already given the relatively young age of the ships.

My understanding of minesweeping is that mechanical sweeps are obsolete and that ROVs were the current method.  Then again I have no first hand knowledge of minesweeping despite having sailed aboard two classes of minesweepers.  I wonder if there is an intent to deploy the Kingston Class on global ops given the new degaussing systems?

 

[Stoker]

The system is quite serviceable however parts are becoming more and more scarce and more expensive. as other systems are. They do ROV ops as I understand it. I doubt if they're ever do global ops as the ship is still a metal hulled ship with little noise reduction.

 

[MightyIndustry]

Technology sure changes in 15 years. The ROV units are use quite a bit, and they also employ Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) sidescan sonar to do route survey operations on both coasts. They get used quite a bit. Most of the operations that they take part in are fisheries patrols, anti-smuggling patrols with the US fleets as far south as central America and a wack of MARS training. I don't like the idea of degaussing being upgraded. Only two ships on the East Coast, and one on the west coast was ever fitted with the generating equipment, and its never used. Modern subsurface anti-ship weapons aren't really going to be put off by correcting the magnetic signature of those boats anyway. They were originally built to Lloyds commercial standards, and couldn't take much of a shock anyway.

 

[cupper]

Question:

If the ships have an integral degaussing system to render the hull clean of magnetic signature, what is the purpose of the degaussing range?

 

[Stoker]

Question:

If the ships have an integral degaussing system to render the hull clean of magnetic signature, what is the purpose of the degaussing range?

It records the signature and verifies that the equipment is working properly.

 

[cupper]

OK, Seen.

Thanks. Cleared up that misunderstanding.