Photo By Elise O Grauberger | NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (July 16, 2015) Fire Controlman 2nd Class Michael Perez, assigned to...... read more read more
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Aircraft soar overhead, and the accompanying ships of the battle group can be seen in the distance – but only by the far-reaching eyes of the most advanced radar in the fleet.
Dual-Band Radar (DBR) – like the ship on which it resides – is the first in its class. It is the Navy’s first active-phased array radar and combines two separate radars: the Multifunction Radar (MFR) and the Volume Search Radar (VSR). Built off the concept of the AN/SPY-1 radar, the primary air and surface radar usedon cruisers and destroyers, DBR uses three gigantic panels or arrays to transmit a radio-frequency signal into the air.
Each of the three panels covers 120°, for a complete 360° picture.
“Passive-phased array technology has been utilized for decades, and to take this next step generationally in radar system capability, architecture, and infrastructure will be a huge step for the Navy as a whole. We are using our best resource as a nation, which is our ability to innovate new technology,” said Lt. Ian Ershen, radar division officer.
DBR replaced six different legacy radar systems that previously supported air traffic control, air search, navigation, and fire-control. The previous systems required between 20 and 25 technicians to operate and maintain them. DBR only requires four fire controlmen to keep it running properly. This reduction in manning frees combat systems personnel to support other functions throughout the ship.
DBR also has a significantly smaller footprint in comparison to legacy radar. The amount of space necessary to operate and maintain the system is significantly less that what was needed on a Nimitz class carrier.
Because DBR is a new system designed specifically for Gerald R. Ford, there is no established training module to teach fire controlmen how to operate and maintain this new technology. Engineers from Raytheon and Lockheed Martin worked with Gerald R. Ford Sailors to create a course that would ensure the proper care of the radar. The course was conducted locally, allowing the students to attend classroom sessions, but also included time aboard the ship working with the equipment and learning maintenance. Sailors assigned to Pre-commissioning Unit Zumwalt (DDG 1000), which has similar equipment, also participated in the training
| Date Taken: | 09.23.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 04.03.2016 20:08 |
| Story ID: | 194234 |
| Location: | NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,914 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Dual-Band Radar: A Look into the Navy’s Newest Technology, by CPO Patrick Grieco, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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