Northrop Grumman Supplies IBNS for U.S. Navy X-Craft
Northrop Grumman Corporation has supplied its latest Integrated Bridge and Navigation System (IBNS) for the U.S. Navy’s new Littoral Surface Craft—Experimental, or ‘X-Craft’.
Developed by the Office of Naval Research, the X-Craft is an experimental high-speed, aluminium-hull catamaran that will be used to test a variety of technologies allowing the Navy to improve operations in littoral, or near-shore, waters.
The vessel’s IBNS was designed, engineered, integrated and installed by Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine business unit and integrates more than 200 separate bridge and navigation components. The IBNS includes a naval electronic chart display and information system, meeting the Navy’s emerging standard for paperless charts, as well as a speed log, echo sounder, autopilot, radars, gyrocompasses, global positioning systems and weather sensors. The bridge system is also integrated with engine and steering control systems and closed-circuit TV that can be used to assist in docking.
the X-Craft’s design incorporates mission flexibility—it can be easily reconfigured to support a variety of missions. This is accomplished through the use of interchangeable mission modules—standard twenty-foot containers—housed in the craft's mission bay. Potential missions include battle-force protection, anti-submarine warfare, amphibious assault, humanitarian support or mine countermeasures. The X-Craft is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in April 2005 after extensive sea trials.
