Page 98: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (July 1997)

High-Tech

Watchtower

Safeguards

The Seas

A high-tech watchtower for use at sea has been developed in Britain to help maritime nations guard against intruders attempting to gain access to restricted offshore zones. The first Sea Sentinel, a giant buoy designed as a stable platform for surveillance systems, has been deployed 80 km offshore western Great

Britain. Designed and built by Resource

Technology Developments Ltd., the 170.6 ft. (52 m) high structure is expected to revolu- tionize offshore patroling. The buoy automat- ically undertakes a range of tasks which until now relied upon the extensive use of vessels, aircraft and skilled personnel. Sea Sentinel's equipment includes IFF (identify friend or foe) transponders to spot intruding vessels within a 48-km radius, and high resolution optics and thermal-imaging cameras to identify vessels up to 22 km away.

Sonar devices can monitor the underwater environment, undertaking roles such as watching movements of submarines, record- ing seismic information, measuring rates of coastal and sea-level erosion and checking sea defenses and structures. Above the surface,

Sea Sentinel can reportedly initiate drug and contraband interdiction, keep watch on the skies for unauthorized incursion by aircraft, maintain protection of fisheries and ensure safe management of seaborne traffic in busy waterways.

Most of the buoy's structure is designed to remain underwater, tethered to a 350-ton con- crete block on the seabed.

Sea Sentinel can reportedly survey approxi- mately 1,930 sq. mi. and use advanced com- munications systems to give naval authorities a dynamic picture of activity in the region under surveillance.

The first Sea Sentinel will serve as a demon- stration project and is backed by Britain's

Department of Trade and Industry and the

British Exclusive Economic Zone Export (BREEZE).

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