HMAS Choules in Sydney Harbour for the Australia Day 2024 celebrations, the CEAFAR radar panels are visible on the corners of her bridge. Photo: Defence

HMAS Choules (L-100) was quietly fitted with a CEA Technologies CEAFAR Phased Array Radar over the New Year period. The new radar has been fitted on top of the forward superstructure of Choules in four mounts, one at each corner, with all four together providing 360-degree coverage around the ship.

According to CEA Technologies CEAFAR, variants of which are already installed aboard the Anzac-class frigates and will be fitted to the future Hunter class, is a scalable S-Band 3D air search phased array radar.

Prior to having CEAFAR installed Choules was not equipped with any military air or surface search radars. When it was delivered to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) it was reportedly only fitted with E, F and I band commercial navigation radars. This limited Choules’ ability to independently detect, track and classify targets which made the possibility of operating the ship in even remotely contested environments somewhat daunting.

While Choules’ current armament of a single Phalanx Close-In Weapons Systems (CIWS) is able to engage targets independently using its own integrated radar, that radar has limited range and coverage. The new CEAFAR radar, in comparison, provides 360-degree coverage around the ship at extended ranges.

ADM understands that while Choules isn’t currently fitted with a dedicated Combat Management System (CMS), CEAFAR’s proven ability to integrate with the Saab 9LV CMS would make it easier to integrate a CMS at a later date. The same, ADM understands, also applies for potential future integrated air and missile defence upgrades which would be eased by having a familiar radar already integrated aboard.

Imagery released by Defence indicates that the new radar was fitted sometime between HMAS Choules returning from its deployment to the Solomon Islands on 14 December 2023, and its participation in annual Australia Day festivities on 26 January 2024.

A Defence spokesperson told ADM that the CEAFAR radar was fitted to Choules as part of capability assurance efforts under Project Sea 3030 Phase 2. The HMAS Choules Capability Assurance Program involved over 80 engineering changes to the vessel across 44 distinct capability areas. 9 “HMAS Choules has been fitted with a CEAFAR Phased Array Radar. CEAFAR was fitted as part of the scope of the HMAS Choules Capability Assurance Program under Project SEA 3030 Phase 2.” they said. Source: Australian Defence Magazine