Royal Navy reveals radar that can spot a tennis ball-size object travelling at three times the speed of sound from 15 MILES away

• The radar can detect a fast moving, tennis ball-sized object 15 miles away
• Can cut through interference equivalent to 10,000 conflicting phone signals
• It's five times more efficient than any radar currently used by the navy
• Can monitor 800 objects simultaneously at a range of 200-200,000 metres
  

By EMMA INNES

PUBLISHED: 00:01 GMT, 6 March 2013 | UPDATED: 12:05 GMT, 6 March 2013

Britain’s warships are being fitted with a radar system so sophisticated it can detect a tennis ball-sized object travelling at three times the speed of sound more than 15 miles away. 

The system, developed for the Navy’s Type 23 frigates, is capable of cutting through interference equivalent to 10,000 conflicting mobile phone signals and is five times more efficient than any other radar currently used by the Royal Navy.

It is also able to monitor more than 800 objects simultaneously - from the very small to the largest aircraft carriers and destroyers - at a range of between 200 and 200,000 metres.

Britain’s new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers and amphibious ships will also be equipped with the new system that offers supreme accuracy and anti-jamming capability as part of a £100 million programme. It is also being proposed for the new Type 26 frigates which are due to come into service after 2020. 

The ARTISAN medium range 3D surveillance radar has been installed on HMS Iron Duke by manufacturer BAE Systems. 

The frigate is the first in the class to receive the new radar as part of her five-yearly refit at Portsmouth giving her the latest cutting edge in naval warfare when she returns to service next year.

BAE Systems Maritime Services Managing Director, Rory Fisher, said: ‘BAE Systems is playing a key role in helping the fleets of the future evolve to meet the ever-changing demands of the battlespace, creating technology solutions that are quicker, lighter, more resilient and easier to implement than ever before. 

‘We are tremendously excited by the successful installation of ARTISAN on HMS Iron Duke which marks a significant milestone in the wider programme and we’re proud of our continuing partnership with the Royal Navy and the role we are playing in delivering first-class radar performance.’

FULL STORY: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2288587/A-tennis-bal...