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Best Supplier Award from GKN Westlands

Technical Information

Catalogue No: C1484
Category: Corporate/Business
Object Type: Trophy/Award
Object Name: Best Supplier Award from GKN Westlands
Part No: None
Serial No: None
Manufacturer: Unknown
Division: Unknown
Platform(s): Merlin AW101 (EH101)
Year of Manufacture: 1996
Dimensions: Width (mm): 900
Height (mm): 310
Depth (mm): 120
Weight (g): 4,060
Location: Mezzanine Store
Inscription(s):

GKN Westland Helicopters Ltd
Best Supplier Award 1996
GEC Marconi Avionics Ltd
Flight systems Division

Notes:

This is a Best Supplier Award presented by GKN Westland Helicopters Ltd to GEC Marconi Avionics Ltd in 1996. It is a model of the port side/half of a Merlin Helicopter mounted on a wooden board. The Company supplied the Sonar System for the Merlin.

It had become clear that only a redesigned acoustics system would enable the Sea King replacement (now called WG34) to meet the Royal Navy's full operational requirements.

The main problem was to pack all of the sophisticated processing into a small and lightweight enough package for this new helicopter. The resultant system was the AQS-903 a powerful lightweight acoustic processor for helicopter and fixed-wing applications. This system can process data from eight to 32 sonobuoys in any combination. This flexibility is derived from the design based around a number of processing 'pipelines', each able to handle a certain quantity of passive and/or active sonobuoys. Four of these pipelines provide a processing power eight times that of the earlier generation AQS-901, at a fraction of the size and weight.

AQS-903/903A series make extensive use of distributed processing, with the systems incorporating the latest component technology to provide the operator with a wealth of information. The system provides a wide range of processing options to enable the operator to smoothly progress from initial contact detection to classification, localisation and tracking to achieve an effective mission. Analysis and display cues are in plain language, requiring a minimum of operator training. The system can process data from LOFAR, DIFAR, HIDAR, Barra, DICASS and CAMBS buoys.

The AQS-903/AQS-903A are powerful lightweight acoustic processors for helicopter and fixed-wing applications. These systems can process data from eight to 32 sonobuoys in any combination. This flexibility is derived from the design based around a number of processing 'pipelines', each able to handle a certain quantity of passive and/or active sonobuoys. Four of these pipelines provide a processing power eight times that of the earlier generation AQS-901, at a fraction of the size and weight.AQS-903/903A series make extensive use of distributed processing, with the systems incorporating the latest component technology to provide the operator with a wealth of information. The system provides a wide range of processing options to enable the operator to smoothly progress from initial contact detection to classification, localisation and tracking to achieve an effective mission. Analysis and display cues are in plain language, requiring a minimum of operator training. The system can process data from LOFAR, DIFAR, HIDAR, Barra, DICASS and CAMBS buoys.

Thomson Marconi Sonar (TMS) was formed in 1990 by the merger of the sonar systems businesses of Thomson-CSF, Ferranti. GEC acquired Ferranti's share of the business in 1995 and the business occupied many sites including the Corsair Building at Rochester.

With the merger of Marconi Electronic Systems and British Aerospace in 1999, BAE Systems acquired Marconi's 49.9% share in TMS. In 2001 BAE Systems exercised an options agreement which forced Thomson, renamed Thales, to purchase its stake in 2001. The company was renamed Thales Underwater Systems.

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