HOLISTIC INTEGRATED MARITIME BORDER SOLUTION

Maritime security challenges today are vast and complex, with dramatic implications for governments and militaries. International waters are experiencing increased crime and violence from emerging threats at sea, such as piracy, terrorism, armed robbery, smuggling of people and illegal goods, nuclear materials trafficking and firearms trafficking, illegal fishing and ocean pollution.

Sea conditions can often be rough, the weather is often harsh, visibility is poor, humidity is high, and navigating vessels is challenging. In these extreme situations, it is even more difficult to ensure safety.

The Avnon Group offers proactive maritime security solutions and innovative platforms. Our holistic approach leverages the intelligent maritime solutions of our subsidiaries – TAR Ideal, Skylock, and iSTAR – to address the unique challenges of complex maritime arenas. Threats are detected, identified, tracked, deterred, and defeated, and the safety of critical assets is maintained without compromising commercial activities. Integration of multiple systems is essential to operational continuity; if one system malfunctions or cannot process data, the other system compensates and maintains operational readiness.

The tracking of ships is accomplished using radars, sensors, and cameras that work in unison to identify maritime traffic vessels; highly manoeuvrable fast objects are targeted by long-range identification and tracking systems; unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aerial vehicles cover large maritime areas and can identify any attempt to breach territorial waters; line-of-sight sensors can be mounted easily aboard ships to both detect and neutralise unauthorised drones entering a secure perimeter using plug-and-play technology; protection from aerial threats using counter-unmanned aircraft systems; combined platforms display information about incoming threats by integrating all sensors and jammers into the Command & Control network.

In recent years there has been a sharp increase in pirate attacks. Maritime piracy remains the most visible manifestation of maritime insecurity. “In the past, pirates stole gold, silver, gemstones, and rum barrels. Nowadays, they are taking over merchant ships and looting onboard containers. Oil tankers are seized by pirates mid- sea and are being held for ransom. The maritime freight transport industry is at risk”, says Ronen Hagag, TAR Ideal’s Head of Naval Department.

Hagag has extensive experience in naval warfare. A retired Colonel from the Israeli navy, he served as a captain of a Sa’ar 5-class corvette, a naval squadron leader, head of the doctrine and training department and a naval attache in Washington.

“A single vessel can be ransomed for tens of millions of dollars”, says Hagag, “Every day, container shipping companies, naval forces, and countries are faced with this grave threat. Insurance companies are raising their stakes. Their premiums will rise by hundreds of per cent for cargo shipments departing on a route known for pirate takeovers. A situation may arise in which the country in the same area does not provide real piracy solutions to this risk, so the ship will not be able to depart on this route with such a high premium.”

“Pirates are very sophisticated attackers. These are not amateurs on small fishing boats. They go out to sea in a command ship equipped with radar and means of communication, while several small boats are arriving from different directions. Pirates use small arms and shoulder-fired missiles,” adds Hagag, “Often, they lure the ships to reach them. The pirate ship transmits a distress signal through visible means of communication at sea. Vessels are obligated to assist the ship in distress upon receiving the signal. As a result, the vessel deviates from its original route, moves away from shore, and reaches the pirates’ area, and this is how a takeover occurs in the form of an impersonation of a distressed ship. It is a dangerous and cunning trap.” have our wet tactical diving submersibles but recent defence papers point to new options [now under discussion] for crossing the water gap.” He added that there is a growing demand for different solutions, particularly for the role of special operator delivery and the number of people that can be delivered by one platform.

Whether faced with pirates trying to take over merchant ships and loot containers or terrorist groups targeting sea vessels with loitering munition drones, maritime situational awareness is crucial to the safety of seas and marine vessels. The Avnon Group and its subsidiary companies have developed a comprehensive, fully customised and reliable solution for the global maritime concern.

Although the company has standardised on two delivery platforms - the two man Torpedo Seal and four man Shadow Seal - JFD is considering this opportunity for alternative solutions. It can also offer customers the eightman Carrier Seal which can run on the surface and sub-surface, “We have other types of vehicle on our road map that will extend that existing family. There is more interest now in DSRV.”

Transporting special forces in a mobile platform that can operate autonomously without needing specialist back up support is increasingly being considered which will serve to drive the expand of the domain. “Just as there are options for surface and air delivery, so there is a growing desire for a suite of vehicles that you can pick from your [platform] toolbox for specific missions - and currently this is not very well served. We feel that the underwater domain market for moving things and people is evolving quickly,” said Wilson.

“We are also moving towards autonomised craft,” he added. “One of the UK requirements is an Unmanned Surface / Subsurface Vehicle (USSV). We have a mature manned platform so we are looking at the next stage - an autonomised platform - which can be manned or unmanned. He offers the scenario of special forces needing to be collected from a shoreline, where an unmanned autonomous vehicle can be sent to pick them up and then once onboard, the operators can take over manned control. “We are excited about that as a transition for us in that we have the experience of mature manned platforms already. We are investing in this now.,” said Wilson.

Diver support is also one of JFD’s strengths, from personal rebreather systems to masks, hyperbaric chambers. “We have a successful Joint Venture (JV) in Germany who are our single biggest customer, supplying the German Navy with their rebreathers.

Full speed ahead

Investing in new craft and technology is something that JFD is doing, and is eager to expand. Often the company, in talking to its existing and potential customers, helps them to develop their own concept of operations.

“The cross over between special operations requirements and commercial needs is enormous from a core technology perspective,” said Dellar. “It is all about life support systems. Irrespective of differing certification - one is always driving the other. Each one pushes different aspects which the other will also find useful.”

In addressing the development of new craft, JFD faces the dilemma of wanting to expand its product line, but only in line with what its current and future customers are going to require. While keeping cost under control is central to the price of any new development, the scope of special operations in particular is just beginning to expand beyond those few forces that have already embraced the concept.

JFD is looking to break into the US military market, particularly with the Special Operations Command (SOCOM), and is trying to find the right US partner. “There are programmes of record where we would like to play a part and some where we would like to help shape the requirement,” said Dellar. There are potential opportunities in swimmer delivery vehicles and dry deck shelters, he added.

On 6 October, five warships from the US, Japan and South Korea conducted a ballistic missile defence exercise in the Sea of Japan, partly in response to North Korea’s continuing ballistic missile test over Japanese territory. Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force guided-missile destroyer JS Chokai, Republic of Korea Navy guided-missile destroyer ROKS Sejong the Great and US guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville are shown. The USS Chancellorsville has been upgraded to an advanced version of the Aegis combat system that makes it easier to send threat information to other units with similar combat systems.