Safran’s Sigma 40 Inertial Navigation System Carries Integration Tests With Harpoon Missile

Safran’s Sigma 40 Inertial Navigation System Carries Integration Tests With Harpoon Missile

Safran Electronics & Defense has carried out integration tests of the Sigma 40 shipborne navigation system with the alignment system on the AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile for Royal Thai Navy’s Krabi corvettes and KDX class frigates.

This test was carried out within the scope of a contract signed with Korean naval shipyard DSME, which builds warships. Safran also worked with Boeing, prime contractor for the Harpoon missile system.

With the success of this test, Safran’s inertial navigation systems can now be used on all of Thailand’s warships, the company announced Wednesday.

Safran’s Sigma 40 is also used for conventional navigation and stabilization functions on shipborne sensors and weapons.

Sigma 40 navigation systems are built around a ring laser gyro (RLG) inertial core, which guarantees sustained very-high-precision, coupled with a high degree of operational flexibility. They are compact and easy to use, with scalable hardware and software. These units also boost the performance of the ship’s sensors and its self-defense systems.

Sigma inertial navigation systems are now fitted to combat systems on over 500 warships, including the latest front-line ships such as the Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier, Europe’s Fremm and Horizon frigates and helicopter carriers.

In addition, Sigma units are used by Norway’s ocean-going patrol boats, as well as a wide range of attack submarines, both conventional and nuclear-powered: ULA in Norway, Collins in Australia, Scorpène and Barracuda in France.