CNO OK's new radars for 688-class A-subs

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., April 14 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy has approved a Northrop Grumman radar for use on its 688-class nuclear attack subs.

The Office of the Chief of Naval Operations has given the go-ahead for installation of Northrop Grumman's AN/BPS-15H radars on its Los Angeles-class 688 nuclear attack submarines, the company said in a recent statement. The AN/BPS-15H is now certified as an authorized Electronic Chart Display and Information System, Navy for the 688-class submarine fleet. The radars are manufactured by Northrop Grumman's Sperry Marine business unit.

The CNO's certification covers AN/BPS-15H systems running under Sperry Marine's Voyage Management System software that functions with Submarine Warfare Federated Tactical Systems on the Los Angeles-class submarines, Northrop Grumman said. The certification was given after the radars were subjected to extensive assessments on the U.S. nuclear submarine USS Boise -- SSN 764 -- the company said.

"This is a major milestone in the U.S. Navy's drive to convert from navigating on paper nautical charts to ECDIS-N technology, opening the way for rapid adoption of paperless navigation throughout the submarine fleet," said J. Nolasco DaCunha, vice president of Sperry Marine.

"Under the CNO directive, fleet commanders can now authorize the AN/BPS-15H with VMS as the primary navigation plot on individual submarines in place of paper charts," DaCunha said.

Following the CNO's decision, seven U.S. Navy surface ships and five nuclear submarines have received the go-ahead to use Sperry Marine's ECDIS-N radars as their main navigating instruments, Northrop Grumman said.

"Sperry Marine's VMS is the only navigation system that is approved to meet the CNO requirements for ECDIS-N," said DaCunha. "Our VMS-based ECDIS-N systems are currently installed on or under contract for over 150 U.S. Navy surface ships and submarines."

Northrop Grumman said Sperry Marine had manufactured comparable radars for hundreds of commercial ships, including tankers, container carriers and passenger cruise ships. The commercial VMS was certified by many national maritime authorities and classification societies as coming up to international ECDIS specifications, it said.

Northrop Grumman's Sperry Marine organization is based in Charlottesville, Va.