Marine navigation provider Anschutz has contracted Paris-based Exail to supply its Marins Inertial Navigation System (INS) for the Royal Navy’s Type 31 Inspiration-class frigate.
The system will provide uninterrupted navigation to the class of five future general purpose frigates, even in Global Navigation Satellite System-denied environments.
Developed by iXblue, the INS features passive fiber-optic gyroscope (FOG) technology that uses light to calculate motion.
“The FOG technology does not involve any movement of mechanical parts causing dithers, vibrations, frictions, and resulting in parts’ weariness and noise,” iXblue explained.
“This ensures many benefits for the user: acoustic stealth, robustness of the system (Power-on and Forget), cost-effectiveness, and the lowest cost-of-ownership on the market.”
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Several Royal Navy vessels are already equipped with Exail navigation solutions, including Astute-class nuclear attack submarines, Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, Duke-class frigates, and Vanguard-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines.
The Type T31 is intended to replace the five general-purpose Type 23 frigates, starting in the late 2020s.
“We take great pride in contributing to the Royal Navy’s mission success through the supply of our Marins INS for the T31 frigates,” regional sales director at Exail Jens Higgen said.
“This contract underlines the quality and reliability of Exail navigation systems, which are maintenance-free and fully meet the stringent military requirements of the most modern combat ships.”
