Shipboard

RF Interconnect Solutions for Shipboard Applications

Radio frequency (RF) systems are used to support vital shipboard functions such as communications, radar, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems, anti-missile defense and electronic warfare systems. These systems must be extremely reliable and continually offer high performance—in especially demanding and variable environments—alongside all the other technologies running simultaneously on a ship. Like our products designed for military and civilian aircraft, Fano Microwave’s shipboard coaxial cable assemblies feature predominantly in submarines, navy vessels, ocean drilling rigs, and cruise ships.

Each of these uses has a unique set of requirements, driving implementation of custom solutions that address application-specific challenges.  As shipboard systems often operate under severe environmental conditions, two of the most important considerations in choosing optimal RF interconnect solutions include the use of low-smoke, zero-halogen cable assemblies and the use of assemblies optimized for high phase stability over temperature.

Low Smoke, Zero Halogen Cable Assemblies

Low smoke, zero halogen coaxial cables are one of the critical parameters for many shipboard applications due to the dangers of a shipboard fire. In confined spaces, fire quickly fills an area with smoke, which can drastically impede safe evacuation. Added dangers include toxic gases and a lack of replacement air, especially on a submarine.

If a fire occurs in this type of confined space, it is crucial that the cables on board do not give off toxic or optically dense gases. The more cabling required in a confined space, the more important it is to use low smoke, zero halogen cables for passenger safety. This is especially true in areas where large amounts of cable assemblies are installed within proximity to humans or sensitive electronic equipment, such as on submarines and naval warships.

When burned, a low-smoke cable assemblies(also known as limited-smoke cable assemblies) emits a less optically dense smoke that releases at a lower rate, which makes exiting a space easier for occupants as well as increases the safety of firefighting operations. Halogens like chlorine, fluorine and bromine are often used as effective fire retardants in cable assemblies, enabling a cable assemblie to pass an industry flame test. However, halogens give off toxic gases when burning, so zero halogen cable assemblies are another important specification for shipboard systems.

Aquatic environments place unique stresses on cable assemblies solutions, and products like our low-smoke zero halogen cable assemblies and water blocked low-smoke triaxial cable assemblies are just two examples of how our shipboard products meet the needs of users stationed on marine vessels.

Environmental Challenges and Phase Stability

Phase is a key parameter for detection and measurement in many shipboard RF systems such as radar, anti-missile defense, electronic warfare, and many other systems that rely on continuous transmission and reception of RF signals with high accuracy and consistent speeds. There are two primary elements that can affect a coaxial cable assembly’s phase tracking characteristic: electrical length and temperature. For example, phased array radars, which are multi-elements, rely on coaxial cables having the exact same electrical lengths between the transmitter-receiver and antenna. This poses challenges on how to match the cables.

After that initial matching, the coaxial cables must also stay matched over varying temperatures. Shipboard systems are exposed to extreme and highly variable conditions, such as heat or cold and corrosive salt spray. RF signals must travel through the coaxial cables at consistent speeds regardless of these environmental factors.

However, as temperatures change, coaxial cables do not precisely track together; the phase match degrades just slightly. That small amount of degradation can adversely affect system performance.  Therefore, phase stability is another key challenge for selecting the right coaxial cables and connector solutions for shipboard applications. (Read more on phase stability here)

Shipboard environments mandate a variety of additional requirements that coaxial cabling products must adhere to. This creates further challenges in determining the optimal coaxial cables and connectors for shipboard communications including signal-to-noise ratio, low loss, and shielding so that signals from outside cannot interfere.