Royal Malaysian Navy picks Danish radars for its Lekiu frigates

The Royal Malaysian Navy has selected Terma’s Scanter 6000 radar as their combined navigation and helicopter control radar for the country’s two Lekiu-class frigates mid-life modernization and service life extension.

This is the second radar delivery contract the Danish company has signed during the Euronaval event in Paris with the first one being for the Indonesian Sea and Coast Guard.

The two 2,270 ton Lekiu-class frigates were commissioned in 1999 and are now undergoing a mid-life modernization and service life extension. The radar is being be integrated with the Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine Vision Master automatic radar plotting aid (ARPA) display system.

According to Jesper Tolstrup, director, radar applications, Terma, the high-resolution Scanter 6000 radar will enable the frigates to detect and track small targets – from the horizon all the way up to the ship itself – on the surface and in low-level air space, and in all weather conditions.

“In addition to surveillance and navigation, the radar is very capable for controlling helicopters. This is especially important aboard aircraft that do not have their own radar, allowing for the approach and landing on the ship or at remote locations, and do so safely in darkness, poor visibility, or bad sea conditions,” Tolstrup said.

“The Scanter 6000 will also provide a data feed to the BAE System Nautis combat system on the frigates,” Tolstrup said.

The RMN has also selected the Scanter 6000 for its two new multi-purpose common support ships (MPCSS). “It is a similar installation to the frigates with the ARPA display and radar,” Tolstrup said.

The Scanter 6000 is a coherent X-band 2D solid state radar designed as an affordable all-weather sensor solution to plug the gap between standard marine navigation radars and more expensive military surveillance radar systems.