The US Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman a production contract for the new AN/WSN-12 Inertial Sensor Module (ISM).
The next-generation sensor significantly improves the accuracy and reliability of maritime navigation on surface vessels and submarines.
The AN/WSN-12 provides highly accurate positioning data for naval vessels, including in Global Positioning System-denied environments.
Next-Gen Inertial Navigator System
The AN/WSN-12 ISM is a crucial component of the US Navy’s AN/WSN-12 Inertial Navigator System (INS), which includes inertial sensors, electromechanical equipment, and software to compute the navigation solution.
“The new AN/WSN-12 Inertial Navigator System will deliver more precision and performance for the warfighter while occupying the same footprint as its predecessor,” Northrop Grumman vice president Todd Leavitt said.
“This allows upgrades to be made on existing systems where space is at a premium.”
The AN/WSN-12 INS will start replacing the more than 20-year-old AN/WSN-7 INS on nearly every US Navy ship later this year, including all vessels of the DDG (guided-missile destroyer), CG (guided-missile cruiser), CVN (aircraft carrier), and SSN (nuclear-powered attack submarine) classes.
