Ring Laser Gyro Technology News

The Meridian Standard and Meridian Surveyor gyro compasses manufactured by Teledyne TSS have been given type approval by the China Classification Society. The approval was granted after the Society inspectors completed a detailed study of the gyros, their performance and reliability and the manufacturing processes and quality control methods employed at the Teledyne TSS factory in Watford, U.K. The approval will now open the Chinese shipbuilding and offshore survey markets for these products where it is expected that their performance and pricing will be welcomed.

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.

Raytheon Anschütz has been awarded the contract for the complete Integrated Navigation System for the third Mission Supply Vessel (MSV) Class 702 for the German Navy. The third Mission Supply Vessel (2nd Batch) will be built by the consortium ARGE, who have appointed Raytheon Anschütz as the subcontractor for the navigation systems. The K130 Corvette Project allowed Raytheon Anschütz to install an integrated bridge of the newest generation on board a German Navy vessel for the first time.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) won a contract from the Brazilian Navy to upgrade the primary navigation systems on its combat ships with new-generation state-of-the-art inertial navigation systems. The inertial-navigation-system equipment will be supplied by Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine business unit. The system, based on Sperry Marine’s ring-laser gyro technology, is designed to provide high-accuracy position data and precise attitude, velocity and heading inputs for the ship’s navigation and fire-control systems. The initial $2.1 million firm fixed price contract is the first phase of a multi-annual acquisition program to replace the installed Sperry Marine MK29 military gyrocompass systems.