Lockheed Martin Selects KVH Fiber Optic Gyro for Upgraded Infrared Search and Track System
MIDDLETOWN, RI – Jan. 21, 2020 – KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI), is pleased to announce that Lockheed Martin has selected KVH to develop and deliver the next-generation multi-axis fiber optic gyro (FOG) sensor for the IRST21 sensor system, which Boeing and the U.S. Navy are integrating into the F/A-18 E/F combat aircraft. KVH was chosen after a competitive process.
A passive, long-range sensor system, IRST21 uses infrared and other sensor technologies to detect and track airborne threats with weapon-quality accuracy, increasing pilot reaction time and improving survivability.
“We are thrilled that Lockheed Martin has chosen us to develop the next-generation fiber optic gyros (FOGs) for their IRST21 sensor system,” says Sean McCormack, KVH’s senior director for global inertial systems sales. “It reinforces the value of our patented FOG technology and proven performance of the DSP-1760, while also giving us the opportunity to contribute to the success of an important military program.”
KVH’s DSP-1760 FOG is designed to deliver high-speed, highly accurate pitch, roll, and yaw data, with FOG performance characteristics that include superior bias stability, scale factor, and angle random walk. A high-bandwidth, low-noise sensor within the IRST21, the DSP-1760 FOG can help ensure precise long-range detection of incoming threats.
KVH is a leading innovator for assured navigation for manned and autonomous platforms requiring high accuracy using high-performance sensors and integrated inertial systems. KVH’s widely fielded TACNAV® systems are currently in use by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps as well as many allied militaries around the world. KVH’s FOGs and FOG-based inertial measurement units (IMUs) are in use today in a wide variety of applications ranging from optical, antenna, and sensor stabilization systems to mobile mapping solutions and aerial, maritime, and ground-based autonomous platforms.
About KVH Industries, Inc.
KVH Industries, Inc., is a global leader in mobile connectivity and inertial navigation systems, innovating to enable a mobile world. A market leader in maritime VSAT, KVH designs, manufactures, and provides connectivity and content services globally. KVH is also a premier manufacturer of high-performance sensors and integrated inertial systems for defense and commercial applications. Founded in 1982, the company is based in Middletown, RI, with research, development, and manufacturing operations in Middletown, RI, and Tinley Park, IL, and more than a dozen offices around the globe.