Horizon MLU: Bridge, Combat system and Inner-Layer Defence upgrade
The Horizon MLU will see the Italian Navy’s ship bridge overhaul with the introduction of new equipment and consoles used on the latest integrated bridge systems used by the Italian Navy, including WECDIS (Warship Electronic Chart Display and Information System) and navigation equipment from GEM Elettronica. The latter will also provide the two Gemini-DB dual-band (X/Ka) standard navigation radars and the HASR-100 helicopter approach surveillance radar, the latter already used on the Vulcano-class LSS platforms.
The combat system will receive the newest generation SADOC 4 (ATHENA Mk2) combat management system (CMS) by Leonardo, already installed on latest Italian Navy ships (PPA, LHD, LSS and UNPAV) and submarines (U212 NFS) and based on a virtualized computer architecture and the same consoles, in addition to cyber protection.
With Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) as its primary mission, the SADOC 4 CMS will be optimized to ensure surveillance, detection and countering of current and future new generation air and missile threats. In particular, Horizon-class destroyers, EDR On-Line understood, must be able to ensure defence against ASBM (Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile)-type threats both of the launching platform and escorted or neighbouring units, as well as defence against ballistic missiles, present and future challenging threats including hypersonic missiles in a saturation attack scenario, in the context of national or international integrated defence, such as the NATO and European Defence, or in out-of-area missions.
In order for the PAAMS & LRR to interact seamlessly with NATO and in the future European IAMDs, exploiting its surveillance and tracking capabilities against particularly challenging threats, the Doria-class units will be equipped with a new communications suite based on Leonardo solutions including V/UHF and HF band equipment based on SDR (Software Defined Radio) technology and SATCOM in X/Ka and X/Ku/Ka bands, as well as the most recent Multi Data Link standard Processor (MDLP) by Leonardo for Link 16 and Link 22 data systems (already present on board Italian ships) and related radio/satellite connections with the adoption of software linked to the MDLP EVO model, already used or soon to be adopted by new Italian Navy ships.
The Horizon MLU will see the installation of the Leonardo SPS-732(V)2 completely solid-state radar 2D for naval/air surveillance with low probability of intercept (LPI, Low Probability of Intercept) to replace the RAN 30X/I RASS, while the Vampire Infra-Red Search & Tracking (IRST) sensor should be replaced by the Leonardo Silent Acquisition and Surveillance System (SASS), both already used by the FREMM and Cavour units and by foreign operators.
The already embarked Thales UMS 4110 CL hull-mounted sonar system should undergo obsolescence resolution work. As for the anti-torpedo defence, currently provided by the Franco-Italian SLAT system, a new solution is still being evaluated according to EDR On-Line knowledge.
The artillery armament including three 76/62 mm Leonardo Super Rapido gun mounts in the Davide/Strales configuration with DART guided ammunition to cope with missile and asymmetric threats will remain unchanged but the current two NA-25X electro-optical/radar fire directors are expected to be replaced by the new generation NA-30S Mk2 with electro-optical systems and dual-band (X/Ka) radar alongside the current dual weapon control system to combine the gun firings without interference. The two 25mm gun mounts should not be upgraded but possibly only overhauled.
The Doria-class units can also be equipped with up to eight launchers for MBDA Teseo Mk2/A anti-ship missiles, which are planned to be replaced by the latest MK2/E anti-ship land-strike version with modernized launching and mission control system, while the two single B515/1 torpedo launchers for EuroTorp MU-90 light torpedoes and its L3Harris Calzoni semi-automatic handling systems together with two Sitep Italia MASS (Multirole Acoustic Stabilized System) for surveillance and the use of non-lethal weapons remain unchanged.
Photos courtesy G, Arra, Italian Navy, L. Peruzzi
