Sagem's SIGMA 40 Navigation System Chosen by Royal Norwegian Navy

Sagem (Safran) has won a contract from the Royal Norwegian Navy in competitive bidding for the navigation system on its future ocean support vessel (1) and polar research ship, the RV Kronprins Haakon.

Both of these ships will be equipped with Sagem’s SIGMA 40 laser-gyro navigation system.

Developed and produced by Sagem, the SIGMA 40 is an inertial navigation system based on laser gyros and designed for harsh military environments. The Sigma 40 is a high-precision, autonomous navigation system that contributes to the effectiveness of naval weapon systems and mission success.

Sigma laser gyro navigation systems are used on some of the latest and most prestigious combat vessels, including the European FREMM and Horizon frigates, the Mistral BPC class amphibious assault ship, and South Korea’s amphibious helicopter carrier, the LPX Dokdo. The Sigma 40XP version of the system was chosen for the Scorpène class conventional submarines built by French naval shipyard DCNS, for the modernization of navigation systems on Améthyste class nuclear attack submarines, and for the future Barracuda class submarines.

Sagem’s military navigation systems are used on more than 450 surface vessels and 60 submarines (14 different classes).

Sagem understands and applies all inertial technologies (mechanical, laser, fiber-optic, vibrating), and has built up its expertise over more than 60 years of supplying civil and military navigation systems worldwide.

(1) This ship will be built by the Korean shipyard DSME under a contract signed in July 2013 with the Norwegian defense logistics organization. The 26,000 metric ton vessel was designed by a British firm, BMT.