Northrop Grumman Unveils Next Gen Maritime Inertial Navigation System

Northrop Grumman Corporation has unveiled SeaFIND (Sea Fiber Optic Inertial Navigation with Data Distribution), a next generation maritime inertial navigation system for use on aquatic surveillance vehicles.

The SeaFIND succeeds the company’s MK-39 Mod 3 and 4 series Inertial Navigation System product line, the company said in a statement Monday.

Applications include guidance systems for unmanned underwater vehicles and unmanned surface vehicles, coastal and offshore patrol vessels, as well as small, medium and large surface vessels. SeaFIND is non ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) and available for use by domestic and international navies.

According to the company, it is the first maritime inertial navigation system to move from the existing ring laser technology to the new enhanced fiber optic gyro technology (eFOG). The system has embedded navigation data distribution capabilities, algorithms for low data latency and to interface with a multitude of users that require accurate position and timing. The system is designed using a modular system architecture and is comprised of an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and a separate electronics unit (EU) connected via a single cable.