Space

BAE SYSTEMS to develop an integrated mems INS / GPS system for the military market

23 Jul 2002

BAE Systems and Rockwell Collins have signed a collaboration agreement for the development of SiNAV^TM, an integrated MEMS INS/GPS system for the military market. The fusion of leading MEMS inertial and SAASM GPS technologies offers customers a total navigation solution representing a breakthrough in terms of affordability, size and gun-hardness. The product is initially focused on meeting the demand from the guided munition and projectile market, with numerous other military applications for such a capability emerging.

SiNAV^TM integrates the MEMS inertial engine of the BAE Systems SiIMU01^TM with the Rockwell Collins NavStorm^TM military P(Y)-code SAASM GPS receiver to produce a closely-coupled navigation system. A multi-phase development roadmap for the SiNAV^TM evolution introduces technology advancements in Silicon MEMS IMUs and SAASM GPS as they become available, and focuses on deep integration to enhance performance, reduce size and minimise cost.

About BAE SYSTEMS:

BAE Systems is a systems company, innovating for a safer world. BAE Systems employs nearly 100,000 people including Joint Ventures, and has annual sales of around 13 billion. The company offers a global capability in air, sea, land and space with a world-class prime contracting ability supported by a range of key skills. BAE Systems designs, manufactures and supports military aircraft, surface ships, submarines, space systems, radar, avionics, communications, electronics, guided weapon systems and a range of other defence products. BAE Systems is dedicated to making the intelligent connections needed to deliver innovative solutions.

About Rockwell Collins:

Rockwell Collins is a leader in providing aviation electronics and communications for the world's aircraft manufacturers and more than 400 airline customers, as well as a major share of the world's military forces. The company, headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa has annual sales over $2.8 billion. Rockwell Collins provides industry-leading systems for air transport, business and regional aircraft markets, including products for the flight deck as well as the cabin. Rockwell Collins is also a world-class supplier of defense electronics products and systems, including communications, navigation and integrated systems. As a leading supplier of military Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Rockwell Collins has delivered more than 200,000 airborne, handheld and embedded GPS receivers worldwide.

Note to editors:

SiNAV^TM is the product of fusing the BAE Systems SiIMU^TM and Rockwell Collins NavStorm^TM technologies. SiIMU^TM and NavStorm^TM are highly successful products in their own right.

SiIMU^TM

SiIMU^TM is an all micro-machined silicon Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) developed by BAE Systems Inertial Systems Division at Plymouth, England. SiVSG Micro-machined Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) rate sensor technology is the result of over 15 years research and development. This revolutionary solid state sensor technology is a breakthrough in gyro system affordability and robustness, enabling inertial guidance and control of next generation, gun-launched, guided weapons to be realised. SiVSG is in high volume production (3 million per year) for commercial as well as military applications. SiIMU^TM has been selected for such programmes as Vertical Launch Seawolf (VLSW), Extended Range Guided Munition (ERGM), Advanced Gun System (AGS), Longbow, Next Light Anti-tank Warning (NLAW), Low Cost Precision Kill (LCPK) and Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM).

NavStorm^TM

The Rockwell Collins NavStorm^TM Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver is a gun-hardened 12-channel Selective Availability Anti Spoofing Module (SAASM) based, GPS embedded module. The NavStorm^TM has been designed to withstand the extremely severe environment of artillery applications through the incorporation of a gun-hardened variant of the Rockwell Collins SAASM module and an artillery GPS oscillator design. Its compact form factor enables very dense electronics packaging for the development of miniature GPS navigation systems. The NavStorm^TM is ideally suited to tightly coupled GPS/Inertial Navigation System (INS) systems for artillery or other applications requiring a highly ruggedized product. Rockwell Collins began delivering fully capable NavStorm^TM receivers in mid-2001. NavStorm^TM has been incorporated on numerous GPS developmental programmes with gun-hardened requirements including Low Cost Guidance Electronic Unit (LC-GEU), AGS, FASM and Barrage.