CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Northrop Grumman Corp. has received a U.S. Navy contract worth $29.2 million for low-rate initial production units and maintenance assistance modules for the AN/WSN-12 Inertial Navigation System, plus engineering support, integration, and testing.
The cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, and cost-only contracts have a potential cumulative value of $103.6 million if all options are exercised.
The AN/WSN-12 is a shipboard inertial navigation system designed to provide position, velocity, and attitude information when GPS signals are unavailable or unreliable. Inertial navigation systems use gyroscopes and accelerometers to measure a vessel's motion and calculate navigation information from an initial position without relying continuously on external positioning signals.
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The AN/WSN-12 consists of two primary components, the Inertial Sensor Module (ISM) and Navigation Processor Module (NPM). The system uses fiber-optic gyroscope (FOG) technology in place of the ring-laser gyroscopes used in the Navy's legacy AN/WSN-7. The Navy describes the AN/WSN-12 as a form, fit, and function replacement for the AN/WSN-7, enabling backfit to existing naval platforms and installation on new-construction platforms.
Replacing existing tech
The Navy's acquisition plans call for the AN/WSN-12 to replace the AN/WSN-7 across surface ships, submarines, and aircraft carriers. The system's navigation data can also be distributed to other shipboard systems that depend on accurate position, velocity, and attitude information.
A separate SAM.gov notice says the Navy intends to award Northrop Grumman an AN/WSN-12 Full Rate Production contract. The planned effort covers production, engineering support, training, first-article testing, and spares for the AN/WSN-12 ISM and NPM surface configuration, as well as procurement of submarine ISMs. The effort supports new-construction ship and backfit deliveries and Foreign Military Sales deliveries from fiscal 2031 through fiscal 2036.
The 30 Sept. contract combines purchases for the Navy (27%) and the governments of Canada (42%) and Australia (31%) through the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Charlottesville, Va. (90%) and Baltimore (10%) and is expected to be completed by May 2030. If all options are exercised, work will continue through July 2032.
Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-26-C-5207).
