Inertial Navigation Systems News

French tech company iXblue will deliver inertial navigation systems and gyrocompasses for new Royal Australian Navy’s SEA1180 Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV). Based on Fiber-Optic Gyroscope technology, iXblue’s inertial navigation systems will provide the 12 new Arafura Class vessels with highly accurate and reliable navigation capabilities in all environments, including within GNSS-denied operational areas, iXblue said.David Cunningham, commercial director at iXblue: "We would…

Greensea introduces a new hull crawler that easily attaches a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to a ship hull without magnetics, allowing the operator to “drive” the ROV and payloads over the hull. Initial hull crawlers are designed to work exclusively with the VideoRay Mission Specialist Defender ROV. The hull crawler represents a milestone in Greensea’s hull robotics program, which is advancing navigation and localization capabilities for a fully autonomous robotic hull inspection and proactive in-water cleaning solution. “VideoRay is a valued Greensea partner with a dynamic and powerful ROV.

Shom, the French national hydrographic and oceanographic office selected SBG Systems’ inertial navigation sytems to renew their whole fleet of INS. They chose Navsight Apogee INS for their speedboats and survey vessels for both shallow and deep-water real-time bathymetric surveys and Qinertia PPK software for post-processing tasks.Shom has 3 major objectives: national hydrography and cartography, defense support in hydro-oceanographic fields, and support in maritime geospatial products and services for public policies on the sea and the coast.

KVH Industries, a provider of mobile connectivity and inertial navigation systems, has introduced a new digital content service called KVH Link to help shipowners, operators and managers provide rest-time entertainment for seafarers and increase onboard productivity.KVH Link provides timely and popular news, sports, movies, TV, music, karaoke, podcasts, documentaries, trending social videos, in the most popular languages among seafarers.Building on KVH’s past experience providing content for crew well-being and its patented IP-MobileCastTM technology for content delivery, KVH Link provides timely and popular news, sports, movies, TV…

The provider of mobile connectivity and inertial navigation systems  KVH Industries said that it innovative Connectivity as a Service (CaaS) program, 'AgilePlans', is fast-growing choice of global maritime fleets."Increased demand for the AgilePlans subscription-based Connectivity as a Service (CaaS) program from KVH Industries has been the driving force behind the company’s unprecedented growth in VSAT unit deployments during the first six months of 2018, a timeframe when the maritime industry has been increasing its drive toward digitalization," said a pess release.KVH recently reported that it successfully shipped almost as many VSAT systems in the first six months of 2018 as it shipped in all of 2017.

Offshore surveys are a necessary precursor for both Oil & Gas (O&G) and renewable energy installations on the seafloor. Particularly for new projects in remote regions, surveys (oceanographic, geotechnical, geophysical etc.) are critical for successful project design and implementation. However, current market conditions are forcing all parties in the supply chain to rethink their approach. Douglas-Westwood (DW) has engaged with industry experts within the market on future strategy and operator expectations. Feedback includes the obvious – “outprice competitors”, “meet highest standards”, “be flexible to operators’ needs” and “specialise” – but this is tough advice for those who are already attempting to accommodate all of these factors whilst trying to remain afloat.

Turkey has completed upgrades on two Ay-class submarines, contractor STM, an Ankara-based defense technologies company, said. The modernization project comprising renewal of Electronic Support, Attack and Search Periscopes and Inertial Navigation Systems has been carried out by STM as the main contractor and applied successfully on TCG DOĞANAY (S-351) and TCG DOLUNAY (S-352), AY- Class submarines. The project has been started in 2011. The modernization process of TCD DOLUNAY Submarine completed successfully on April 09, 2014 and TCD DOĞANAY’s finished on April 22, 2015 and both submarines has been delivered to the Turkish Naval Forces.

Originally developed to guide Allied convoys safely across the Atlantic, the use of synchronized low frequency radio signals as a navigational aid revolutionized modern maritime navigation in the 1940s. Faced with operating ships and aircraft over vast areas, researchers pioneered the use of radio signals to aid navigation in regions where poor weather conditions made traditional methods—such as dead reckoning and celestial navigation—exceptionally difficult. This system was eventually named LORAN.

The increased use of inertial navigation systems (INS), particularly in support of offshore survey, installation and inspection tasks, has emphasized the need for a general introduction and outline of the use of inertial navigation technology used offshore. The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has published ‘An Introduction to Inertial Navigation Systems’ (IMCA S 022) produced for the association by Gordon Johnson under the direction of the IMCA Offshore Survey Division Management Committee.

KVH Industries entered into a strategic partnership with Geodetics Inc., a leader in the development of real-time, high-precision position and navigation solutions. The goal is to provide high performance positioning and navigation products for commercial applications requiring high levels of precision, from unmanned platforms to terrestrial navigation. Geodetics is integrating the KVH 1750 inertial measurement unit (IMU) into two solutions: Geo-INAV Advanced, a GPS-aided inertial navigation system; and Geo-ReINAV, a high-accuracy relative navigation, positioning, and orientation system. The KVH 1750 IMU provides highly accurate 6-degrees-of-freedom angular rate and acceleration data…

iXBlue has been selected to provide inertial navigation systems for the two Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers currently being built by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance for the U.K. Royal Navy. The bridge system for each of the carriers will incorporate two iXBlue MARINS units. Trials have already been conducted to optimise the configuration of the units to meet the specific operational requirements of the vessels. David Cunningham, iXBlue Ltd. General Manager, said, "[MARINS] was designed by iXBlue to meet the growing needs of the world’s navies for more accurate and robust inertial navigation systems and incorporates iXBlue’s state-of-the-art fiber-optic gyroscope (FOG) technology.

Northrop Grumman Corporation will highlight its capabilities in command, control, communications, computers, intelligence (C4I), border security, unmanned ground systems, cyber security as well as navigation and maritime systems at the Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition in London. DSEI is the world's largest fully integrated defence and security event specialising in air, naval, land and unmanned systems and brings together international exhibitors from more than 50 countries. The exhibition takes place at ExCel in London from 10– 13 Sept. 2013. Northrop Grumman will be exhibiting in the South Hall at stand number S5-310.

Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded contracts totaling $14.4 million by prime contractors General Dynamics Bath Iron Works and Huntington Ingalls Industries to supply the steering gear system for three new DDG 51 Class Arleigh Burke destroyers. The steering gear system is vital for the control and maneuverability of the ship and is directly linked to the integrated bridge, as well as the navigation and inertial navigation systems that Northrop Grumman is supplying under separate contracts for the DDG 51 Class destroyers. Northrop Grumman has been the sole provider of the steering gear system for the DDG 51 Class since production began during the 1980s. This contract award brings the program's total to 69 steering systems.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been selected by Canada's Department of National Defence (DND) to provide in-service support for the MK-49 inertial navigation systems and navigation data distribution systems fielded aboard surface ships and submarines of the Royal Canadian Navy. The $12.1 million contract, awarded by Public Works Government Services Canada, includes material spares and software maintenance for the next five years. This is the fourth in-service support contract that Northrop Grumman has received from the DND since 2001.

Sonardyne Inc.’s recent ‘Life of Field’ two day workshop was well attended by over 40 industry professionals, ranging from major oil representatives through to vessel Captains. Held at the 4 Points Sheraton Hotel, Houston, day 1 focused on acoustic positioning techniques whilst day 2 looked at advances in Metrology, Autonomous Monitoring and Inertial Navigation Systems (INS). With sessions delivered by members of Sonardyne’s Survey Support Group (SSG), attendees debated achievable…

VectorNav Technologies launch the VN-200, high-accuracy GPS-Aided Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS) on a surface-mount chip the size of a postage stamp. Combining an advanced GPS module with the latest in MEMS inertial and pressure sensor technology, the patent-pending VN-200 provides a coupled position, velocity and attitude solution that is robust to a wide range of static and dynamic operating conditions. The release of the VN-200 GPS/INS marks a significant advancement in the field of inertial navigation. Over the past few decades, the size, weight, power, and cost constraints of typical GPS/INS systems have greatly limited the type and number of end-use applications.

Following the successful launch of the new DMS-500RP motion sensor range in April, Teledyne TSS is expanding this product range with the introduction of the DMS-500H. This new sensor provides heave measurement to complement the roll and pitch capabilities of the launch model. This is expected to be welcomed by a variety of users in the marine and offshore markets where there is known to be a need for a high accuracy sensor with these capabilities but at a lower cost and without the high performance subsea-rated housings that typify Teledyne TSS products.

A new range of motion sensors specially developed for commercial marine applications has been introduced by Teledyne TSS. The DMS 500 range has been launched to meet the needs of users who require a conservatively priced, top-quality motion sensor with Ethernet connectivity, but without the high integrity subsea housings that typify Teledyne TSS products. The newest addition to the range is the DMS-500H, which can be used to measure heave and has important applications such as in support of crane and winch control and helideck operations.

LONDON, March 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE: NOC) Sperry Marine business unit has signed a full production contract for the Integrated Navigation Bridge System (INBS) for the U.K. Ministry of Defence's (MoD) Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) Aircraft Carrier Programme. The company also signed a design phase contract for the Navigation Lights, Shapes and Sounds (NLSS). Terms of the contracts were not disclosed. Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine will build and deliver the complete INBS, including electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS-N (U.K.)) for the new aircraft carriers. The system will include navigation planning, electronic charts and radar displays, as well as a comprehensive set of sensors and software.

Teledyne TSS has been granted type approval by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping for its Meridian Standard and Meridian Surveyor gyrocompasses. The certification follows a detailed appraisal of the products and the manufacturing processes carried out at the modern Teledyne TSS factory in Croxley Green, UK. Customers in the important Russian shipbuilding market can now be assured that the Teledyne TSS gyrocompasses meet the highest standards of performance and manufacturing quality.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has won a contract to upgrade the inertial navigation systems (INS) for the Swedish navy’s submarines. Under the contract, awarded by Kockums AB, Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine unit will supply five MK 39 Mod 3C ring laser gyro systems for installation on two Gotland-class and two Södermanland-class submarines, with one set to be used for spares and training. The MK 39 Mod 3C systems will replace the existing spinning mass gyrocompasses currently fitted on the submarines. CA Clase AB, Sperry Marine’s sales and service representative in Sweden, was instrumental in securing the order. Kockums AB will perform the installations, which will be completed by 2011.

Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) Sperry Marine business unit has been awarded a follow-on contract to provide performance-based logistics (PBL) support for navigation and steering systems installed on U.S. Navy surface ships and submarines. The contract was awarded by Naval Inventory Control Point, Mechanicsburg, Pa., exercising a three-year option on a previously awarded five-year PBL contract. The total value of the three-year contract is $42m. The initial year award is valued at $14.8m. Under the contract, Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine will provide material management, configuration management and program management services…

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) officially opened its new U.K. technical support centre to provide service, repair and maintenance for the company’s inertial navigation systems (INS) used in Royal Navy ships and submarines. The new naval gyrocompass support centre, located at Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine facility in New Malden, U.K., contains a full repair and calibration workshop to support NATO ship INS (SINS) installed on Royal Navy surface warships and attack submarines. Sperry Marine is under contract with the U.K. Ministry of Defence (MoD) to provide ongoing in-service support for these systems. The event was attended by Northrop Grumman executives, as well as MoD officials and local political leaders.