Inertial Labs, a VIAVI Solutions, Inc. company, has introduced IRINS, a Low Earth Orbit-aided Inertial Navigation System (INS) designed to maintain full functionality across land, air and sea in environments where space operations are denied, degraded or disrupted.
The system serves as a significant expansion of the VIAVI Solutions portfolio for assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing. By integrating an INS, an Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS), and a LEO PNT receiver, the inertial platform merges the navigation capabilities of Inertial Labs with the timing expertise of Jackson Labs. The embedded system was specifically developed to address the increasing frequency of spoofing and jamming attacks targeting military assets and critical infrastructure.
Hardware for the IRINS is housed in a compact enclosure measuring 126.5 x 49.3 x 53.3 mm and is certified to IP67 and MIL-STD-810G environmental standards. The architecture utilizes tactical-grade MEMS 3-axis accelerometers, gyroscopes, and clocks, alongside embedded barometers and magnetometers. For enhanced aerial data, the system includes an optional onboard air-data computer. Satellite communication is facilitated through an STL-2600 receiver module, which connects to the Iridium LEO constellation to provide a GNSS-independent signal source.
Jamie Marraccini, Vice President, Inertial Labs Products, VIAVI, said, “The IRINS is the first fruit borne of VIAVI’s visionary strategy to mitigate vulnerabilities in positioning, navigation and timing, bringing together resilient satellite-based timing with tactical-grade IMUs to deliver the most precise PNT for GNSS-denied environments. By tightly coupling inertial sensing, LEO-based timing and navigation and anti-jam GNSS technologies into a single platform, the IRINS provides unmatched continuity, accuracy and trust for operations in contested and denied environments.”
To further safeguard against interference, the device incorporates a GNSS receiver equipped with a Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna port, designed to detect and eliminate malicious attack signals. This multi-layered approach allows the system to calculate precise altitude, position, velocity, and time data while effectively minimizing bias-induced drift.
Maynard Porter, Director, Government PNT Business, Iridium, added, “Assured access to PNT is critical for operations in contested environments. Integrating Iridium PNT alongside VIAVI’s INS and AHRS provides users with an exceptionally resilient source of time and location data to maintain operational effectiveness when GNSS signals are disrupted.”
The launch represents a move toward providing resilient LEO-based PNT and inertial navigation through a fully integrated system from a single vendor, streamlining the deployment of protective electronic warfare measures for a variety of professional and defense platforms.
