WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Feb. 11, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been competitively selected by General Dynamics Robotic Systems (NYSE:GD) to supply the navigation system solution for the Phase II Global Positioning System (GPS) / Inertial Navigation System (INS), a major component of the Autonomous Navigation System (ANS) for the U.S. Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) program.
Under this $10.7 million contract, Northrop Grumman's navigation solution will provide the navigation system inputs for the ANS. ANS provides the navigational, perception, path-planning, vehicle-following algorithms and the on-board sensor package needed for autonomous mobility functionality and leader/follower operation by FCS vehicles. The navigation system will also provide pointing and stabilization information for a variety of sensor platforms integrated into the FCS vehicles.
Northrop Grumman's land navigation solution for ANS includes the fiber-optic gyro LN-270 PLANS(tm) land navigation system, Ethernet connectivity, two global position system (GPS) antennas, an embedded selective availability/anti-spoofing module GPS and an anti-jam unit.
"Any application that requires highly accurate navigation, pointing or dependable stabilization can benefit from the LN-270, including long range surveillance systems and all types of electro-optical/infrared sensors," said Gorik Hossepian, vice president of navigation and positioning systems for Northrop Grumman's Navigation Systems Division. "We are proud to support the Army's Future Combat Systems vehicles with this modern autonomous navigation system."
Northrop Grumman was awarded a system development and demonstration contract for nine LN-270 units, and it was also awarded a future limited rate initial production contract by General Dynamics Robotics Systems. If orders for an additional 261 units are placed, the contract could reach $36 million. Each ANS-equipped vehicle will use one or more LN-270 units. The first LN-270 unit is expected to be delivered in fourth quarter of 2009.
The LN-270 benefits from fifteen years of production fiber-optic gyro experience. It is a highly reliable navigation system with an average time between failures of over 20,000 hours. It has low life cycle costs because it requires no scheduled maintenance during its rated lifetime. The LN-270 is currently in production and it is in the U.S. Army inventory.
Northrop Grumman has provided land navigation products to customers for over twenty years and offers its customer more than 50 years of navigation experience. Besides fiber-optic-gyro-based systems, the company produces navigation products utilizing a range of technologies including Northrop Grumman's exclusive hemispherical resonator gyro, unique ZLG(tm) gyros, spinning mass gyros, ring laser gyros, and micro-electro-mechanical-system gyros.
FCS is a networked "system of systems" using advanced communications and technologies to link soldiers with manned and unmanned ground and air platforms and sensors to significantly enhance the Army's effectiveness and maneuverability.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.