British navigation and surveillance company Kelvin Hughes on Thursday announced it has been selected to deliver its navigation equipment for the largest Royal New Zealand Navy ship currently under construction in South Korea.
Under a contract awarded by shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries, Kelvin Hughes will supply its integrated navigation bridge system (INBS) for future HMNZS Aotearoa.
Aotearoa is the New Zealand Defence Force’s (NZDF) future ice-capable fleet replenishment tanker and will be the largest vessel to be operated by the RNZN.
With a scheduled delivery of the ship in 2020 by Hyundai Heavy Industries and the RNZN planning to induct the vessel in 2021, Kelvin Hughes will supply the bridge system for installation in 2018.
The scope of work includes the design and integration of the Kelvin Hughes supplied navigation equipment and shipyard supplied systems in a suite of bridge consoles manufactured in Korea.
The navigation radar sensors selected are to be SharpEye S and X-Band and one S-Band SharpEye sensor optimised for helicopter approach and control.
The tanker was approved by the New Zealand government in June 2014 allowing the tender to be released in March 2015. The contract was awarded to Hyundai Heavy Industries in July that year for $493 million and the vessel will be built at the Ulsan Shipyard in South Korea.