GPS World

Tag: Northrop Grumman

  • Northrop Grumman to Offer Improved GPS-Challenged Navigation and Geo-Registration Solution for U.S. Air Force

    Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a phase two inertial navigation system-related contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory to continue improving geo-registration accuracy for positioning and pointing applications, even in GPS-denied conditions.

    Geo-registration of data is critical for accurate interaction between systems, such as locating targets and handing off coordinates to another aircraft. Geo-registration of images involves pairing unreferenced images with the physical locations or exact coordinates of depicted items. This allows aircraft to create accurate maps by stitching together photos and correlating them with their world-based locations, which is useful for intelligence gathering and targeting.

    In phase one of the Maintain Accurate Geo-registration via Image-nav Compensation (MAGIC) program, Northrop Grumman integrated geo‑registration algorithms in a vision-aided inertial navigation system that can even operate in GPS-denied conditions. In phase two, the contractor will flight-test the integrated system as well as incorporate additional improvements such as highly detailed 3-D map generation in the algorithm.

    “Our positioning and geo-registration solution will help to precisely locate our own aircraft positions and target locations, particularly in challenging, high-threat environments where the adversary might be jamming GPS,” said Charles Volk, vice president of Northrop Grumman’s Advanced Navigation Systems business unit. “Additionally, this will increase the situational awareness of warfighters and help to keep them safer.”

    Partnered with Toyon Research Corporation, Northrop Grumman is building on its experience in vision-aided inertial navigation under past programs such as Collaborative Robust Integrated Sensor Positioning, which matched image features and processed visual motion estimations for precise navigation without relying on GPS.

    The MAGIC program’s objective is to develop and demonstrate advanced real-time geo-registration and navigation algorithms using a combination of cameras, an inertial measurement unit and GPS information (when available). The program aims to capitalize on recent advances in the availability of low-size, -weight, -power and -cost camera systems that make the inclusion of camera information in navigation and geo‑registration systems for airborne vehicles a significant opportunity.

  • Northrop Grumman Completes GPS OCX Integrated Baseline Review

    Northrop Grumman Corporation (Reston, Virginia) has completed the integrated baseline review for the U.S. Air Force Next-Generation Global Positioning System (GPS) Ground Control Segment (OCX), achieving two major milestone reviews within a matter of weeks, the company announced Tuesday.

    The integrated baseline review accomplishes several goals, such as identifying key schedule milestones, ensuring adequate resources are available to complete program tasks, and verifying tasks are planned and can be objectively measured, says the company. The review follows close on the heels of the Northrop Grumman team’s successful system requirements review, another major milestone.

    “This was the most comprehensive integrated baseline review of my experience,” said Steve Bergjans, GPS OCX vice president and program manager for Northrop Grumman. He said the Air Force “dug deep,” asking hundreds of detailed questions that required the company to thoroughly explain its management practices in support of the OCX program.

    He continued, “To have successfully completed this very thorough review almost immediately after the comprehensive system requirements review is clear evidence our team can take on multiple, high-priority tasks while delivering strong results for the customer and it positions the Northrop Grumman team for long-term success with the program.”

    The back-to-back completion of the system requirements review and the integrated baseline review is a shared accomplishment of Northrop Grumman; Harris Corporation, Melbourne, Fla.; Integral Systems Inc., Lanham, Md.; Infinity Systems Engineering, Colorado Springs, Colo.; and Lockheed Martin Information Systems and Global Services, Gaithersburg, Md.

    GPS OCX is intended to revolutionize the operations concept for command and control of existing GPS II and future GPS III satellites. OCX will deliver new GPS mission planning, constellation management, ground antenna, monitoring station, and satellite command and control capabilities.

    Under the 18-month contract, Northrop Grumman’s Team OCX will provide systems engineering and integration; architecture design; communications and network engineering; information assurance and security; modeling and simulation; network management; software development; support, maintenance and implementation; and test and evaluation.