Swedish Space Corp. has won its first order for MSS 6000, the latest generation of its maritime surveillance system. The C$2.3-million contract was awarded in December following a public tender by Transport Canada.
SSC’s maritime surveillance system provides an efficient tool for authorities to monitor activities in their national waters such as fishing and shipping, to detect threats to the marine environment such as oil spills and the illegal discharge of pollution from ships, and to provide public services such as ice patrol and search and rescue.
The first delivery of SSC�s MSS 6000 system will be installed on a Dash 8 aircraft used by Transport Canada for coastal surveillance.
The MSS 6000 will be employed in Transport Canada’s aerial surveillance operations, especially off the country’s eastern coast, where the illegal discharge of pollution from ships has led to concerns for the marine environment. In the words of transport minister Jean-C Lapierre, “The Government of Canada is committed to preventing pollution from ships and to continuously enhancing the protection of our marine environment. This technology will significantly strengthen our surveillance program and help us achieve this goal.”
The contract covers the installation and commissioning of one system on a Dash 8 surveillance aircraft and onboard crew training. The delivery is due to be completed by year-end, according to Christer Colliander, project manager for airborne systems.
It is a typical MSS system, consisting of:
* SLAR - side-looking airborne radar
* IR/UV - infrared/ultraviolet - line scanner
* Airborne AIS - automatic identification system for ships
* High-resolution digital camera and video system.
Initial identification of targets is made by SLAR, with the IR/UV system coming into play for closer identification. AIS enables a ship’s identity to be established, and evidence of illegal activities is gathered by the camera and video systems. FLIR - forward-looking infrared - may also be included; this aids identification at night and can be applied to record detailed images even when the aircraft is flying past the target at speed.
All information is digitally stored in a geographic database and presented to the operator as map overviews of the area under surveillance. It can be transmitted in real time to an onshore control center, sea surface units, or other aircraft via both conventional data link and satellite.
Improved integration, flexibility
MSS 6000, which was introduced last year, includes a number of new and improved features compared with the preceding MSS 5000 generation, Colliander says. These include improved sensor and sensor handling flexibility, better geographic information functionality, and integrated digital chart display.
Compact, configurable workstations are also now available. While in earlier days one operator would handle all the data, SSC has noted a growing trend among customers to use larger aircraft and to distribute tasks among several operators. Sensor data, tactical map overview, and mission reports are presented in different windows on a single large LCD display.
The system can also support a portable ground station so that in an emergency, the appointed commander can move around while still being able to download information from the aircraft via an internet link. Another option is a post-processing station at the mission center, where mission data can be edited and reports prepared and selected data distributed to other relevant parties.
Theoretically, data can be sent directly to pilots in the cockpit, but airworthiness certification considerations as well as lack of panel space often present obstacles, Colliander says.
MSS 5000 installations
MSS 5000 systems are also used in Norway, the US, Portugal, Greece, and Poland. The Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT) is now in the process of upgrading its MSS 5000 systems, though not to MSS 6000 standard. When it began using MSS 5000 in 1998, its operators were able to spot a fleet of fishing boats at a distance of 70 km and an oil spill at 42 km - a 50% improvement in detection range over the previous equipment. Airborne surveillance is coordinated with radar satellite coverage to enhance the effectiveness of the operation.
The US Coast Guard has three MSS 5000 systems, which it uses on HC-130 H aircraft. The systems are palletized so that they are completely interchangeable between mission and aircraft. Two are used for ice patrol and the third for environmental protection. The USCG has expressed interest in a possible upgrade to MSS 6000.
A helicopter version of MSS 5000 has been installed on Agusta EH101 helicopters of the Portuguese air force, which are used for monitoring fishing activities. These systems, which were delivered by SSC to Agusta in 2003, incorporate some MSS 6000 functionality, such as the importation of target tracks from the 360° radar for display on the tactical map, and data exchange with the onshore VMS system for identification of fishing vessels.
For more information, contact Christer Colliander, Swedish Space Corp. Tel +46 8627 6328, fax +46 898 7069, [email protected], www.ssc.se.
