Naval vessels

A step beyond

The state-of-the-art customer-specified Vanguard is an innovative maritime surveillance and protection system designed to address national security requirements in territorial waters.  

The ability to draw on a world-class portfolio of products sets us apart in what we can offer the world’s naval forces.

Across the Kongsberg Group, the breadth of technology and capability is underpinned by an ethos of customer-first collaboration.

Arild Skoge, Business Development Manager at Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, explains how the company has combined its latest technology into a highly effective integrated naval system – Vanguard.

“Securing a nation’s interests within a regional and global maritime environment is more complex than ever. Conflicting international interests in accessing and controlling sea-based trade routes, ownership of maritime territories and resources, the ever-existing threat of military action, coupled with highly capable threats and rapidly advancing technologies are driving the need for more advanced, flexible and interoperable maritime assets. 

Our Vanguard system is the answer to the rapidly changing naval and maritime challenges of today and tomorrow.

Through the use of vehicles in all domains – underwater, surface and in the air. Vanguard supports a range of missions, including maritime surveillance, anti-surface warfare, anti-air warfare and more. A focus on interoperability for joint operations, cross-service and multi-national operations enables the system to operate effectively in all types of missions. 

“The Vanguard system will provide a capable, adaptable and affordable solution to homeland defence by using deployable sensors and weapons. Sensors and effectors are easily integrated based on an open architecture network-centric structure, enabling interoperability between surface-to-surface missile systems, air surveillance, air control and air defence systems.”

Unmanned underwater deployment

The UUV is based on the HUGIN® family of AUVs. The primary differences between systems are the size, weight, endurance, depth rating and sensor complement. The UUVs can be deployed and recovered in different ways, by crane or by various configurations of launch and recovery systems. HUGIN can carry a significant number of different sensors, ensuring that one platform can be used for multiple types of missions, such as seabed mapping, infrastructure inspection and detection of sub-surface vehicles.

The Vanguard system consists of a host vessel and embarked mission vehicles, equipped with deployable sensors and effectors underwater, on the surface and in the air, all of which can be operated from the host ship or land. 

“As the Vanguard system integrator, we will ensure integration of customer-specified capabilities. We offer a wide range of equipment to support different missions from the company’s product range, ensuring low risk, high operational effectiveness and quality. 

“Deployable vehicles equipped with sensors and weapons can be operated and controlled in a network from the mothership to increase the area of coverage. Two examples are the Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) and the HUGIN® family of AUVs.

“The flexibility and modular design of the Vanguard platform provides for easy integration of national solutions, allowing for industrial participation and intellectual property. Future maintenance, repair and overhaul activities can be supported by national industry, securing operations of critical assets. Vanguard is adaptable and ensures use of modular solutions by equipping the vessel with the needed capabilities in a changing environment. 

“Our focus on joint and combined approaches in all domains, interoperable with other services and nations, allow the Vanguard system to plug and play into different kinds of operations through the use of deployable sensors and effectors. 

“The Vanguard system is the next generation naval ship, a step beyond the traditional navy ships of today.”  

Game-changing missile capabilities
The Kongsberg High Mobility Tactical Missile System for sea and land targets combines a state-of-the art Naval Strike Missile with a simple, fielded and proven C2 structure capable of integrating any national or international command structures or sensor capabilities. It’s a low observable missile designed for multi-domain operations, with no active signature and standoff range in littoral waters providing true game-changing capabilities. The weapon’s ability to identify and engage time-sensitive targets are matched by a responsive and user- friendly mission planning system.

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