Bridgemaster E News

Sperry Marine Systems, a unit of Northrop Grumman Corporation, has just completed fitting an integrated bridge system on a new shuttle tanker in Spain for Norwegian shipowner Navion ASA. The 96,900-dwt Navion Odin, hull number 84, was built at the IZAR Construcciones Navales SA shipyard in Puerto Real. includes six separate operator consoles, four of them with flat-screen LCD displays. movement and status for the watch officer. connected to the interswitch via fibre optic cables due to the distance from the bridge. installation, commissioning, spares, technical support and crew training. Sperry Marine (formerly Litton Marine Systems), with worldwide headquarters in Charlottesville, Va., is part of Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems sector.

Transas Europe GmbH has successfully commissioned a Navi-Trainer 4000 Fishing Simulation System combined with TGS 4100 GMDSS Simulation System and ERS 4000 Simulation System at Tenerife, Spain. This procurement provides the largest simulator on the island of Tenerife. The new simulator, installed at Instituto de Formacion Maritimo Pesquero de Tenerife, includes one GMDSS instructor station and eight trainee stations, as well as one navigational instructor station with one main bridge. The main bridge comprises three-channel visualization, plus numerous dedicated hardware and software modules for items such as Navaids, Complete Fishing Station, Conning Display, ECDIS and a GMDSS Station.

Northrop Grumman Corporation has been selected to supply the bridge navigation and communication systems for a new SeaFrance high-performance vehicle-passenger ferry, which is being built at Alstom’s Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France. The new ferry, to be christened SeaFrance Berlioz, in honor of the famous French composer, is scheduled to enter service in February 2005. The ship will be fitted with a multi-console Voyage Management System from Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine business unit. System components will include a type-approved electronic chart display and information system, interswitched BridgeMaster E navigation radars…

Leica Marine GPS has won orders to supply high-precision marine DGPS receivers for four new Hellenic Navy gunboats. Each of the gunboats will be fitted with a Leica MX 420/8 DGPS receiver, which will be used as the primary navigation aid. The MX 420/8 will be interfaced with other bridge equipment, including the BridgeMaster E navigation radars, DSC radio, central clock system and gyrocompass. The contract includes options for two more gunboats. The equipment will be installed and commissioned by Radio Marine Electronics, the Greek sales and service agent for Leica Marine GPS. The four new gunboats are being built at the Hellenic Shipyard Co., in Skaramanga, with the first scheduled delivery in mid-2002.

Litton Marine has been tapped to supply navigation, communication, control and stabilization systems for a trio of new car carriers under construction in Japan. The three 21,000-grt feeder-type car carriers - Hulls 1184-1186 - are being constructed for UECC (Norway) at Tsuneishi Shipbuilding for delivery in 2000 and 2001. Each will be equipped with a complete Integrated Bridge System (IBS) and Voyage Management System (VMS), as well as Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS), with separate navigation, planning and conning stations. Litton's package also includes X-band and S-band BridgeMaster E ARPA radars, gyrocompasses, autopilot and steering systems. The company is also set to supply ring laser gyrocompass systems worth up to $5.2 million for an entire class of U.S.

Shipbuilding leaders convened in Washington, D.C. recently to discuss the means and methods to propel the U.S. shipbuilding market at the dawn of the new millennium. Under the auspices of seeking a candid and creative discussion regarding the country's shipbuilding future, the U.S. Maritime Administration sponsored a seminar on April 5, dubbed, "Marketing Issues and Challenges Facing the U.S. Attended by industry executives from most of the country's premier facilities, the conference was held on Wednesday, April 5, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Pentagon City, Va. Stressing the pressures of competition form the lucrative Asian shipbuilding powerhouses of Japan, China and Korea, many conference speakers mulled and brainstormed ways that the U.S. shipbuilders could recapture market share.

Cruise lines, perhaps more than any other segment of the shipping market, have eagerly adopted advanced integrated bridge systems to help protect not only passenger, crews and reputations, but also the more than half-billion dollar homes within which they reside. Furuno's Integrated Bridge System, dubbed Voyager has been designed to achieve total integration of bridge equipment and information in accordance with the One Man Bridge Operation (OMBO). All components come from a single source, Furuno. Complying with the latest performance standards of IMO and IEC, the ECDIS displays and ENC vector charts make for easy route planning and route monitoring.

Litton Marine Systems (LMS) won a contract to supply navigation radars for four new Hellenic Navy gunboats. The contract was awarded to Litton by Thomson-CSF Signaal, which is the primary combat systems contractor for the four new vessels being built at the Hellenic Shipyard Co., Skaramanga. The first of the new gunboats will be delivered to the Hellenic Navy starting in mid-2002. Litton will supply Decca BridgeMaster E naval radars with a special naval transceiver unit and 250-mm color ARPA display. The radars will be integrated by Signaal into the TACTICOS combat management system. The contract includes equipment, installation, commissioning, spares support and training for Hellenic Navy personnel.

Litton Marine Systems (LMS) was awarded a contract worth up to $1.8 million to supply navigation and control systems for two new Floreal Class frigates being built for the Moroccan Navy in France construction at Chantiers de L'Atlantique in Saint Nazaire. They are scheduled for delivery in 2003-2004. The frigates will be fitted with Litton's new BridgeMaster E military-spec tactical radar systems. Other equipment to be supplied by Litton includes a ring laser gyro attitude and heading reference system, automatic pilot, electric main steering, echosounder, gyrocompass and magnetic compass with repeaters, GPS and other bridge systems.

Northrop Grumman Corporation introduced new models of desktop marine navigation radars with state-of-the-art, high-resolution, color LCD flat-screen displays. With the introduction of the new flat-screen 180 and 250 models, the entire line of BridgeMaster E radars has now been switched over from CRT to LCD displays, according to John Robinson, strategic business unit director for radars at the company’s Sperry Marine business unit. “We have totally discontinued the use of CRTs in our new BridgeMaster E radar range," said Robinson. "We will, however, continue to support our large base of installed base of CRT radars currently in service for at least the next 10 years,” he said.

Northrop Grumman Corporation received orders to supply bridge navigation and communication electronics for a new offshore patrol vessel under construction for the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA). The equipment, to be supplied by Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine business unit, will include a complete networked system that ties together all of the ship’s navigation sensors and steering controls into an integrated bridge system (IBS) running on electronic nautical charts. The new 84-m, 2,181 gross ton patrol vessel is being built at the Remontowa Shipyard in Poland for delivery in 2007. The ship’s diesel electric variable pitch propulsion system will provide a top speed of 18 knots and an endurance of 30 days on patrol.

Northrop Grumman Corporation announced the introduction of a new generation of commercial navigation radars incorporating electronic charts. The new VisionMaster FT products are the first of a new series of highly integrated navigation solutions which are being developed by Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine business unit at its worldwide commercial marine headquarters in New Malden, United Kingdom. The VisionMaster FT Chart Radar provides the navigator with a seamless integration of radar and chart functionality. Combining approved vector-format digital charts with the radar picture enhances situation awareness for watchstanders. The operator can select the desired density of chart information to be shown on the screen…

Royal Caribbean International's newest cruise ship Brilliance of the Seas, which completed its maiden voyage this summer, is equipped with twin state-of-the-art integrated bridge systems supplied by Northrop Grumman Corporation's Sperry Marine business unit. The Sperry Marine system provides the highest level of safe and accurate navigation for the giant cruise ship, which carries up to 2,500 passengers. In accordance with Royal Caribbean's two-bridge concept, Brilliance of the Seas has been fitted with a totally redundant package consisting of two independent integrated bridge systems (IBS) with all critical components duplicated.

Sperry Marine, a business unit of Northrop Grumman Corporation, today announced that its Decca BridgeMaster E 340 is the first flat-screen radar to be type approved to meet the international carriage requirements for automatic radar plotting aids (ARPA). The flat-screen radars provide significant savings in space and weight over traditional CRT displays. This is especially important for high-speed craft, in which size and weight are significant constraints. The flat-screen BridgeMaster E 340 display has a full 340-cm radar circle as required for ARPA type approval. The active-matrix high-resolution LCD provides wide viewing angles and a bright, clear picture in direct sunshine. The screen may be dimmed to avoid glare for nighttime operation.

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Sperry Marine business unit has been selected to provide the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency's (SFPA) newest patrol vessel with a full suite of navigation and communication systems, networking the ship's systems and sensors into a single interface. The new 151-ft. patrol vessel, being built at Ferguson Shipbuilders on the Clyde, will replace the patrol ship WESTRA and will be the first in the SFPA fleet to have diesel electric propulsion. Sperry Marine will supply a complete integrated bridge system (IBS) with electronic chart display and information system. The equipment suite includes BridgeMaster E flat-screen radars…

A new installation of Transas VTS system took place in the middle of August at Heimaey, the main populated island in Vestmanneyjar archipelago southwest of the Icelandic mainland. The history of this project goes back several years, when the Icelandic Telecommunication Company were interested in acquiring a system intended to supervise/protect national submarine communications. A huge submarine cable integrated with the transatlantic submarine communication line between Europe and Northern America connects Iceland with the rest of the Globe. This cable has been damaged several times because of incorrect fishing and anchoring operations, consequently causing very expensive repair works often running into millions of US dollars.

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Sperry Marine business unit has won a multiyear production contract to supply navigation and steering systems for the U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers (DDG). The contract, awarded by Bath Iron Works' Lead Yard Services, is worth up to $40 million if all options are exercised. Sperry Marine will provide steering machinery, steering controls and integrated bridge systems (IBS) for up to 10 new ships. The IBS installations will comply with the chief of naval operations requirement for naval electronic chart display and information systems. They will also ensure that the new DDGs share a common IBS architecture with other ships in the fleet.

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Sperry Marine business unit has won a multiyear production contract to supply navigation and steering systems for the U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers (DDG). The contract, awarded by Bath Iron Works' Lead Yard Services, is worth up to $40 million if all options are exercised. Sperry Marine will provide steering machinery, steering controls and integrated bridge systems (IBS) for up to 10 new ships. The IBS installations will comply with the chief of naval operations requirement for naval electronic chart display and information systems. They will also ensure that the new DDGs share a common IBS architecture with other ships in the fleet.

Kuwait's Coast Guard has signed a contract with Northrop Grumman Corporation's Sperry Marine business unit to supply navigation and surveillance systems for 10 new patrol boats. Sperry Marine will provide a complete integrated bridge system, including dual interswitched BridgeMaster E Tactical naval radars interfaced with an AMIRIS stabilized infrared night vision surveillance system, Voyage Management System, fiber-optic gyrocompass, adaptive self-tuning autopilot, Doppler speed log and other components. The contract includes supervision of installation, commissioning and acceptance trials. The contract was awarded by Ocea S.A., the prime contractor, which is building the 10 vessels for the Kuwait Coast Guard at its shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France.

The Nor-Shipping Exhibition concluded June 6, 2003. Following were some of the major announcements during the week in Oslo. Kongsberg won a contract for the control systems for four LNG tankers scheduled to be built in Japan. The ships will carry LNG from the Snohvit field to the U.S., Spain and France. Two of the ships are being built for Hoegh shipping lines at Mitsubishi Shipyards, while the other two are being built at the Mitsui and Kawasaki shipyards. Kelvin Hughes was awarded type approval for its ECDIS-based Track Control System. This is the first Approval of its type to be granted by LR and covers the integration of the company's ECDIS and Autopilot products into a system meeting the new IEC 62065 track control performance standard.

Center of La Spezia, Italy. universal data repeater. of the ship’s DP system provided by Kongsberg Simrad. The new 92-ft. steel vessel, named Leonardo, will operate as an Italian public vessel, listed on a special register within the Italian Ministry of Defense. She was constructed at the McTay Marine shipyard in Liverpool and is classed by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). The new ship will replace SACLANT’s aging 20 meter workboat Manning and will be equipped with a wide array of facilities to conduct a variety of shallow-seas scientific research operations.

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Sperry Marine business unit has recently won orders to supply navigation electronics for four new marine vessels in Brazil. 2,500 gross ton vessels being built at the Fels Setal shipyard in Rio de Janeiro for Delba Maritima Navegacao. The company will provide interswitched BridgeMaster E 250 and 340 radars, a gyrocompass, autopilot, speed log, echosounder, anemometer and differential global positioning system (DGPS). The three new anchor-handling tugs are scheduled for completion in 2003 and 2004. Sperry Marine will also supply an integrated bridge system for a new tugboat being built at Eisa shipyard in Rio de Janeiro for Norsul.

Color Line, an Oslo-based ferry operator, has selected Northrop Grumman Corporation's Sperry Marine business unit to supply navigation and communication systems for the world's largest cruise ferry, under construction at the Kvaerner-Masa-Yards in Turku, Finland. Sperry Marine will supply a complete suite of bridge electronics, including a four?station integrated navigation system with type approved electronic chart display and information system, three BridgeMaster E radars, dual fiber optic gyrocompasses, dual NaviPilot 4000 autopilots, steering controls, a SRD 500 dual-axis speed log, a central alarm manager and a communication station meeting Global Maritime Distress and Safety System standards.