Formulating an improved integrated navigation solution for US Navy Surface ships

The Navigation Sensor System Interface (NAVSSI) is designed to integrate shipboard navigation sensors and systems and to provide a single best source of navigation information to all users. SSC-SD is responsible for development and pre-planned product improvement of the NAVSSI including incorporation of ship navigation planning aids, Digital Nautical Charts (DNC), plotting capabilities, addition of navigation sources and users, and accuracy improvements. NAVSSI is an evolutionary acquisition system currently deployed aboard 46 Navy ships, and planned to be deployed on all major U.S. Navy Surface combatants. Improvements currently being worked on include an interface with the Ring Laser Gyro Navigation (RLGN) system, the inclusion of an embedded Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver on a card and the capability to serve digital products from the National Imagery and Mapping Agency, including DNCs. As part of the development of NAVSSI, a study was conducted to investigate the current expected performance, design a “blending” algorithm and determine the expected performance gains. Furthermore, the availability of high-density attitude and attitude rate information provided by the INS, presents an opportunity to improve velocity and attitude. This paper will address both the development of the algorithm to determine the best navigational solution and the inclusion of a GPS Versa Modula Eurocard (VME) Receiver Card (GVRC) in NAVSSI. This latter item is a low cost GPS receiver on a card utilizing the VME based hardware architecture