Northrop Grumman to supply integrated bridge system to Brazilian Navy

Northrop Grumman Corporation announced that its Sperry Marine business unit has been awarded contracts to supply state-of-the-art navigation systems for two new 500-ton patrol boats for the Brazil navy. Sperry Marine will supply a complete integrated bridge system based on its new-generation VisionMaster FT navigation technology, tailored to meet the unique space constraints and operational requirements of these coastal patrol boats. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The system includes Sperry Marine's electronic chart display and information system, gyrocompass, echo-sounder, speed log, navigation radars, steering controls, steering gear, mission data recorder and other sensors and subsystems. The Ethernet-based VisionMaster FT network processes data from all these systems into a completely integrated solution for route planning, navigation and piloting. The two NAPA 500-class patrol boats are being constructed at the Industria Naval do Ceara SA (INACE) shipyard in Fortaleza and are scheduled for delivery in 2009. Four additional ships of the same class have been approved. The Brazil navy has plans to order a total of eight such vessels in 2009. “We are very proud to be the selected supplier of navigation systems for these new patrol boats, building on our more than 30-year relationship with the Brazil navy,'' said J. Nolasco DaCunha, vice president of Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine. “We are also currently under multi-phase contracts to upgrade the ship inertial navigation systems and navigation radars across the Brazil navy fleet". DaCunha noted that similar bridge systems are also being installed on offshore patrol vessels for the Chile and Mexico navies.