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A photonics mast (or ''
optronics Optoelectronics (or optronics) is the study and application of electronic devices and systems that find, detect and control light, usually considered a sub-field of photonics. In this context, ''light'' often includes invisible forms of radiati ...
mast'' BBC News Scotland,
A vision of evolving technologies
' 30 August 2007, 13:06 GMT
) is a sensor on a submarine which functions similarly to a periscope without requiring a periscope tube, thus freeing design space during construction and limiting risks of water leakage in the event of damage. A photonics mast replaces the mechanical, line-of-sight viewing system with digital equipment, similar to a
digital camera A digital camera is a camera that captures photographs in digital memory. Most cameras produced today are digital, largely replacing those that capture images on photographic film. Digital cameras are now widely incorporated into mobile devices ...
array, and it has fewer locational and dimensional constraints than a traditional periscope. Unlike a periscope, it need not be located directly above its user, and it requires only a small pressure hull penetration for cabling. This allows the photonics mast to fit entirely within the
sail A sail is a tensile structure—which is made from fabric or other membrane materials—that uses wind power to propel sailing craft, including sailing ships, sailboats, windsurfers, ice boats, and even sail-powered land vehicles. Sails ma ...
of the submarine and means the control room need not be placed directly below the sail. A photonics mast operates by rising above the water in a manner similar to a telescoping antenna and provides information through an array of sensors, such as high-definition low-light and thermographic cameras. Images and information can appear on display panels for analysis. The photonics mast can also support the navigation, electronic warfare, and communications functions of a conventional optical-periscope mast.


Photonics masts by country


Chinese Navy

At least the Type 039B/C submarines are fitted with photonics masts.


French Navy

The
Marine Nationale The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in t ...
's new nuclear attack submarines, the ''Suffren'' class, comes with an optronics mast with the following sensors: * High resolution day camera * 3rd generation MWIR camera in 3-5 µm band * Low light level camera (LLLTV) for night use in the visible spectrum with anti-glare system * Laser rangefinder The mast is manufactured by Sagem (now
Safran Safran S.A. is a French multinational company that designs, develops and manufactures aircraft engines, rocket engines as well as various aerospace and defense-related equipment or their components. It was formed by a merger between SNECMA and ...
). The same mast can be found on the export oriented conventional attack submarines made by Naval Group.


Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force

The Sōryū-class submarine is equipped with the CM010 optronics mast.


Royal Navy

The
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
tested an optronic mast on the in 1998. nuclear attack submarines are equipped with two
Thales Thales of Miletus ( ; grc-gre, Θαλῆς; ) was a Greek mathematician, astronomer, statesman, and pre-Socratic philosopher from Miletus in Ionia, Asia Minor. He was one of the Seven Sages of Greece. Many, most notably Aristotle, regarded him ...
CM010 optronics mast similar in capabilities to the Sagem model in French use.


Russian Navy

The Yasen and
Borei-class submarine The Borei class, alternate transliteration Borey, Russian designation Project 955 ''Borei'' and Project 955A ''Borei-A'' (russian: Борей, , Boreas, NATO reporting name Dolgorukiy), are a series of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submar ...
s are fitted with photonics masts developed by Shvabe, a subsidiary of
Rostec Rostec ( rus, Ростех, p=, r=Rostekh), officially the State Corporation for Assistance to Development, Production and Export of Advanced Technology Industrial Product Rostec (russian: Государственная корпорация по � ...
. The Elektropribor Central Research Institute has also developed the ''Parus-98'' photonics mast for the conventional
Lada-class submarine Lada class, Russian designation Project 677 ''Lada'' (russian: Лада, meaning " Lada", NATO reporting name St. Petersburg) is the new advanced class of diesel-electric attack submarine designed by the Russian Rubin Design Bureau. A program to ...
s and the export market (''Parus-98E'').


United States Navy

In 2004, the United States Navy began fitting photonics masts to s.How Photonics Masts Will Work
According to the US Navy:
In ''Virginia''-class boats, traditional periscopes have been supplanted by two Photonics Masts that house color, high-resolution black and white, and infrared digital cameras atop telescoping arms. With the removal of the barrel periscopes, the ships’
control room A control room or operations room is a central space where a large physical facility or physically dispersed service can be monitored and controlled. It is often part of a larger command center. Overview A control room's purpose is produc ...
has been moved down one deck and away from the hull’s curvature, affording it more room and an improved layout that provides the
commanding officer The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitud ...
with enhanced situational awareness.


References


External links


US Navy Fact Sheet, Attack Submarines
- from HowStuffWorks {{DEFAULTSORT:Photonics Mast Submarine design Optoelectronics Submarine components