SCADS (SHIPBORNE CONTAINERISED AIR DEFENCE SYSTEMS)

Conversion of merchant ships for the Falklands task force was done with commendable speed, but preparation in advance for such emergencies is perhaps needed. With this in mind, the three British companies Plessey, British Aerospace and Fairey have jointly designed SCADS. Within about 48 hours, SCADS equipment, prepacked in a set of ISO containers, can be used to convert a suitable merchant ship to a fully operational role which inlcudes the operation of VSTOL aircraft. The equipment consists of: Plessey AWS-5A surveillance and air traffic control radar; Fairey Engineering containerised ski jump; British Aerospace Sea Harrier aircraft and Seawolf missile system; Plessey shield decoy system; and British Aerospace common services facility <for power, fuel, ordnance magazines, etc.>. This equipment can be produced and packaged for rapid deployment, and, with pre-planned installation, SCADS carriers can rapidly provide air cover when needed and, at minimum cost, can be used to augment existing aircraft-carrier strength or used by navies without a carrier force. The various elements of this equipment, which are briefly described in the article, provide everything necessary to form a basic light carrier; they can be installed and integrated on a wide range of cargo vessels which carry ISO containers on the upper deck. Helicopters, and other additional items, can be added to suit requirements.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Shipp. World & Shipb., 177 (1982), p. 707 (Nov.) (1 p., 2 diag.)
• Publication Date: 1982

Language

• English

Subject/Index Terms

• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00684518
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: British Maritime Technology
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 14 1995 12:00AM