Next-Generation Maritime Navigation Sensor for US Navy

Northrop Grumman’s AN/WSN-12 ISM is a next-generation sensor designed to significantly improve maritime navigation in GPS denied environments for surface ships and submarines By DA Staff / 12 Jun 2023

Inertial Navigation Systems (INS)

Discover cutting-edge solutions from 11 leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
Next-Generation Maritime Navigation Sensor for US Navy
Follow DA

Northrop Grumman has been awarded a production contract from the US Navy for the new AN/WSN-12 Inertial Sensor Module (ISM). 

Northrop Grumman’s AN/WSN-12 ISM is a next-generation sensor designed to significantly improve maritime navigation in Global Positioning System (GPS) denied environments for surface ships and submarines.

The new AN/WSN-12 ISM is a key component of the US Navy’s AN/WSN-12 Inertial Navigator System (INS), upgrading the Northrop Grumman-built AN/WSN-7 INS. 

WSN-7 is on nearly every ship in the US Navy and has been the program of record for more than two decades. Surface ships and submarines rely heavily on the positioning data provided by GPS for navigation, for safety at sea and to fire weapons. The AN/WSN-12 ISM provides highly accurate positioning data with or without GPS, a key component to establishing Assured Position, Navigation, and Timing (A-PNT) maritime solutions.

The first ISM is expected to be fielded later this year.

“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,” said Todd Leavitt, vice president, naval and oceanic systems, Northrop Grumman. “This allows upgrades to be made on existing systems where space is at a premium.”

Find manufacturers of PNT Solutions for defense applications >>

Posted by DA Staff Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

New Oscilloquartz Optical Cesium Clocks Enhance Network Timing Precision

Adtran is expanding its Oscilloquartz portfolio with the new OSA 3200 SP and OSA 3250 ePRC optical cesium models, providing improved holdover and simplified maintenance for telecom, data center, utility, and defense networks

Jul 09, 2025
Silicon Sensing to Exhibit MEMS-Based Navigation Systems at ISTS 2025

Silicon Sensing will exhibit its advanced MEMS inertial navigation technologies at ISTS 2025, showcasing precision solutions for space applications and compact sensor innovations

Jul 09, 2025
Advanced Motor & Motion Technologies for Mission-Critical Military Applications

Defense Advancement showcases innovative precision motor and motion solutions for mission-critical military and aerospace applications

Jul 09, 2025
Textron’s TSUNAMI™ USV Reinforces Maritime Security at FLEX25

Textron Systems successfully demonstrated the autonomous TSUNAMI™ USV during a real time operational scenario at FLEX25 in El Salvador

Jul 09, 2025
U.S. Army Selects MyDefence C-UAS Systems to Strengthen Force Protection

MyDefence has been selected to supply counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) technology to the U.S. Army, enhancing operational defense against drone threats

Jul 08, 2025
Inertial Labs’ Role in Drone LiDAR Survey of Tree Obstructions at JBLM Airfield

Inertial Labs technology outlines how it supported a US Air Force pilot project at JBLM to evaluate drone LiDAR for mapping tree obstructions near the airfield

Jul 08, 2025

Featured Content

Teledyne FLIR OEM Whitepaper: Synthetic Data Generation for AI Object Detection

Read Teledyne FLIR OEM’s whitepaper on AIMMGen™, a defense-oriented synthetic data and AI model generation pipeline tailored to Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) and object classification tasks

Jul 03, 2025
Galvion’s Production Hub in Poland Now Open & Operational

Galvion's new Production Hub in Poland has formally opened through a large ceremony held at the Gdansk facility with factory tours, demonstrations, and live models of helmets

Jun 30, 2025
Rugged Military IT Systems for Demanding Environments

Discover how MilDef’s rugged IT solutions support global defense operations, including a long-term deployment in extreme conditions with a European military unit

Jun 27, 2025
Advancing Defense Capability Through Strategic Collaboration Defense Advancement works with major OEMs to foster collaboration and increase engagement with SMEs, to accelerate innovation and drive defense capabilities forward.