HYDRA
AN/SRC-55 Low Power 380-400 MHz NB HYDRA Wireless Interior Communication System

Other HYDRA firsts for our company include
the following:

• Trunked Below Decks HYDRA System (USS Eisenhower)
• Integrated Flight Deck/ Below Decks HYDRA System (USS Enterprise)
• HYDRA 2 - Integrated LMR and PCS System - (USS Rushmore)
• Split Site HYDRA System (USS Eisenhower and LPD-17)
• Low Power HYDRA Systems
• Mil Std 901D Grade A Shock Qualification
• Mil Std 461/462 EMI Qualification
• Mil Std 167 Vibration Qualification
• Trunked/ Conventional Switch
• UHF/VHF Translator allowing interoperability with LCACS and HYDRA systems

Flight Deck Communications — M/A-COM’s HYDRAAN/SRC-55 systems have met both the stringent below deck communication and specialized flight deck communication requirements for the CV/CVN, LHD and LHA class ships. The flight deck module supports both the four (4) level hierarchy and a fully integrated interface with the ship’s 5 MC flight deck announcing system required to support flight deck communications. This is the only system to be approved as a replacement for the legacy Flight Deck Communication System (AN/SRC-47).

Interoperability — All communications whether below decks or on the flight deck are supported by one integrated communication system. Flight deck communications for surface combatants have also been supported. M/A-COM has expanded the interoperability of the HYDRA system to allow interoperation with the existing VHF radios on LCACs and LCMs. In addition, we have supported interface with the Flight Deck Announcing System (5MC) and other announcing systems.

Low Power Systems — Low power HYDRA fixed equipment and portables have been developed to support the unique requirements of the U.S. Navy. Onboard a US Navy warship, space is at a premium. M/A-COM’s low power solution for HYDRA shipboard wireless communications significantly reduces onboard space requirements for our system. Both low power systems and low power (20mw) radios ensure minimal RF leaves the ship.

Survivability

Fault Tolerant Architecture — Our HYDRAAN/SRC-55 system provides reliable, fault tolerant trunked operation. This reliability is provided by a distributed processing architecture that enables every repeater the capability to serve as either a control channel or a working channel. Our HYDRA system allows for continued trunked operations for the loss of repeaters by providing for the graceful degradation in service for centrally controlled functions.

Split Site Designs

M/A-COM has also provided HYDRA systems with a split site design for further reliability. Dual located repeater sites operate overall as one system. Should one of the repeater sites stop functioning, the remaining site will still continue to trunk, thus insuring continued communications. A split site HYDRA system was delivered for installation on the USS San Antonio (LPD-17), the Navy’s newest Amphibious Ship.

MIL STD 901D Grade A Shock Qualified Systems

Our HYDRA fixed equipment has been qualified to meet MIL-STD 901D Grade A shock requirements and to meet the requirements of MIL-STD 167 for vibration. The portables are qualified in accordance with MIL STD 810E and are capable of operation in driving rain, snow, extreme background noise, and extreme heat and cold.