Communication issues in multinational and combined forces operations require new solutions in order to incorporate submarines.

Through the CALLISTO communication system GABLER Maschinenbau provides submarines with comprehensive communication abilities from a deep submerged position for the first time – while still allowing the submarine to fulfil its mission.

The F&T study CALLISTO conducted successfully in conjunction with the German Navy and the achieved results have meant that the communications system CALLISTO has been taken under contract for Class 212A, 2nd batch submarines in April 2007.

The CALLISTO communication system consists of a hoistable mast with an integrated buoy, and can also be used in surfaced conditions or at periscope depth as a conventional communication mast.

When the submarine is deep submerged, the buoy rises to the surface as the cable pays out, after the retaining elements have been released. As soon as the antenna is above the water surface, the system establishes communication abilities in the UHF SATCOM, UHF LOS, VHF and HF reception frequencies as well as GPS L1/L2. Automatic adjustment of the cable length allows the submarine to maintain speed and depth as desired.

The towing cable transmits all communications data through a fibre optical waveguide, so that other sensors or functions can also be integrated in the buoy. The system functionalities can be increased by the addition of a radar early warning antenna, cameras or video recording equipment.

The CALLISTO communication system can be flexibly and rapidly adapted to specific user requirements by means of different buoy configurations. As an alternative to deployment from a hoistable mast, the buoy can also be installed in an existing submarine in a refit or retrofit installation on the superstructure.