A DEFENCE company in Poole has been involved in one of the most significant projects in ship technology in recent times.

 

Aish Technologies is part of the Shared Infrastructure project, which establishes a common technology architecture across several Royal Navy ships.

 

It allows access to software from navigation to sonar through a single console.

 

BAE Systems, which developed the Shared Infrastructure platform, approached Aish to supply the rugged metal enclosures which house the operational equipment. They provide power management, filtering and distribution including signal interfaces and interconnects. Aish – based at Broom Road – developed air- and water-cooled versions with temperature monitoring, feedback and control under a range of operating load conditions.

 

HMS Ocean was the first MOD vessel to receive the shared infrastructure, followed by HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark.

 

Since then, Aish has manufactured and tested 13 seats of enclosures, with delivery in progress, for Royal Navy Type 23 frigates. It has been working on developing and modifying the architecture for Type 26, Type 31 and Type 45 frigates, with exact numbers to be covered by the government’s Strategic Defence Review.

 

BAE Systems chose Aish Technologies for its track record in delivering designs that exceed MoD standards. The enclosures are manufactured to industry and MoD-specific requirements.

 

Lloyd Bates, managing director of Aish Technologies, said: “We are delighted that BAE Systems have chosen Aish to be a partner in this innovative project. It reflects the excellent relationship we have with them, and is testament to the quality engineering that Aish delivers time and time again.

 

“We are focused on ensuring we continue to meet project milestones and exceeding our customer’s expectations.

 

“The Shared Infrastructure solution is revolutionising the way ships operate and Aish is delighted to be playing its part in such a step-change for the Naval defence industry.”

 

The Shared Infrastructure project is expected to be rolled out across the entire Royal Navy fleet by 2024.

 

Founded around the turn of the 20th century, Aish Technologies specialises in protecting electronic equipment in harsh environments.