Case Study: Dorset Police Boats Integrate AIS5000

For the UK Police, operating in the maritime space presents its own unique challenges. Keeping people safe on the water is of the upmost importance; both through ‘visible policing’ – being out there and seen, and on special task force operations.

Dorset Police have recently taken ownership of two purpose made vessels, fully equipped with Raymarine systems. These two fast response boats provide them with the capability to respond to inshore and offshore tasks, with confidence and speed.

Police Boat Invictus

Police Vessel Invictus is an 11-metre tactical RIB. Piloted by two maritime police officers, but with the capacity to deliver a further eight armed or unarmed police officers to close quarters operations.

The vessel has three Raymarine Axiom 2 Pro multi-function displays at the helm position, and an Axiom 2 XL in the rear seating area. A Raymarine HD Radome provides enhance visual scanning. A Ray91 VHF radio is vital for ship-to-ship communications, and a FLIR M364C Thermal Camera provides high-resolution thermal imaging for low-light and low-visibility situations.

Police Boat Sentinel

Police Boat Sentinel is a Sargo 36 Fly (Flybridge). Purpose built for the force; this vessel is the first of its kind and extends the range of the force up to 500-nautical miles.

The wheelhouse of Sentinel features three two Axiom 2 Pros at the helm position and an Axiom 2 XL at the second upfront position. There is a Cyclone 4ft open array radar fitted to the gantry, offering best-in-class situational awareness. Then another M364C camera enhances visual monitoring in all weather and light conditions.

AIS5000

The most unique aspect of the Raymarine set-up on the Dorset Police vessels, is the inclusion of AIS5000 – with its dedicated ‘First Responder’ functionality. The AIS5000 transceiver delivers robust Class A AIS network capability and serves as a gateway device for secure text messaging.

The AIS5000 integrates with Raymarine encrypted Axiom displays to enable secure ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore messaging, tasking, intel sharing, SAR coordination and much more.

The encrypted navigation system is the only one certified to the US Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS 140-2) and offers Secure but Unclassified Tactical Exchange Data System (STEDS). As more government forces in the UK use AIS5000 technology, it enables a secure exchange of information across law enforcement and search-and-rescue organisations.

A POWERFUL FORCE

With Invictus and Sentinel, Dorset Police have two cutting-edge vessels capable of responding to incidents along the Jurassic Coast and assisting other forces and government and defence departments around the English coast.

With the Raymarine systems fitted to both boats, they have robust and reliable navigation, and secure communication with other vessels and with their land base. A system that allows them to operate safely and effectively in all conditions.