Sonardyne Wins Major Middle East Contract for Sentinel

June 7, 2011 - PRLog -- The contract was announced at the UDT exhibition in London and represents one of the largest ever orders for Sentinel which will be used as part of a waterside infrastructure security system in the Middle East.  
When installed, the complete system will include a large number of Sentinel diver detection sonars integrated with surface radar and thermal Imaging cameras. The contract follows a lengthy tender process followed by major system performance trials in April 2011. These demonstrated the integration of all of the above and below water sensors into NIDAR™, which is an innovative maritime domain awareness system that combines all of the sensor data with AIS and satellite information. The data is then presented on a single tactical display with networked access and control of countermeasures.
NIDAR™ is the result of a multi-million Euro, multi-agency European Union Framework 7 research program. It has been led by Marine and Remote Sensing Solutions Ltd (MARSS) and has been designed to provide a cost-effective and simple-to-operate maritime domain awareness solution. The system is available for the operational protection for ports, oil and gas platforms, commercial shipping and superyachts.

The Middle East installation is being presented as a milestone in the development of Sentinel as both an expeditionary system and as a multi-sensor installation for the permanent protection of fixed assets. Sentinel is currently the underwater surveillance system at over 30 sites around the world with more than 60 systems having been sold since the first was delivered in January 2009.

The Sentinel range of underwater sonars now features three different platforms including the Sentinel 1500, a long-range system capable of tracking underwater threats out to 1500 metres with interfaces especially suited to trained sonar operators. The Sentinel 900 is the original and most widely used underwater surveillance sonar in the world and offers the most efficient and cost-effective blend of performance and autonomous operation. The new Sentinel 500 is a cost-effective, shorter range variant engineered to provide a compact expeditionary or permanent solution for strategic assets and commercial shipping.

Sonardyne International Ltd is headquartered in Hampshire, England with operating subsidiaries in the USA, Brazil and Singapore. The company is recognised as one of the world’s leading providers of underwater acoustic technology for navigation, positioning, communications and surveillance to the oil and gas, oceanography and maritime security markets.
                  
MARSS Ltd has headquarters in the UK with software teams based in Italy and Monaco. It has emerged as one of the most innovative providers of domain awareness solutions for maritime security including, anti-piracy, strategic asset protection and platform security.

Westminster Group plc, headquartered in Oxfordshire, UK, is a leader in the supply of system solutions and products to the security, defence, fire protection and safety markets worldwide

-ENDS-

Enquiries contact:  Rob Balloch
Sonardyne International Ltd,
Blackbushe Business Park, Yateley, Hampshire, GU46 6GD UK      
Tel: +44 (0)1252 872288  Fax: +44 (0)1252 876100  

Visit www.sonardyne.com