Northrop Grumman to supply navigation data systems for Australian navy

Officials of Tenix Defence Pty. Ltd. in North Sydney, Australia, are asking the Sperry Marine business unit of Northrop Grumman Corp. in Charlottesville, Va., to supply navigation data distribution systems (NDDS) for eight Royal Australian Navy ANZAC-class frigates and one land-based ANZAC Ship Support Center (ASSC).

The $6.8 million contract for the navigation distribution systems is for an upgrade to the ships’ existing MK49 ring-laser gyro (RLG) inertial navigation systems, integrating data inputs and outputs provided by the MK49, and other navigation sensors.

The upgraded systems will help improve navigation data distribution for current and future combat systems equipment. Installations are to be completed by mid 2008. Sperry Marine recently won contracts to supply similar systems for the Canadian navy’s Iroquois-class destroyers.

Sperry Marine has supplied more than 80 percent of the ring-laser gyro systems at sea today, company officials say. The MK49 is the standard RLG equipment for NATO ships. For more information contact Sperry Marine online at www.sperrymarine.northropgrumman.com.