SharpEye A ‘New Technology’ marine radar

For over sixty years radar has been used as a tool to aid the safe navigation of ships at sea. Despite numerous improvements which have helped to produce a clearer radar picture and the addition of valuable tools to help the navigator, the radar sensor has remained essentially unchanged for the whole of this period. Recent changes introduced by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to the regulations covering the carriage of S-Band radar by commercial shipping are deliberately designed to encourage the introduction of ‘New Technology’ radar sensors. This paper describes one implementation of a ‘New Technology’ radar and discusses the challenges that face the radar designer in the price conscious marine radar market.