Ramona Adams
Northrop Grumman has received a potential $11.6 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency‘s microsystems technology office to develop a miniaturized inertial measurement unit for navigational use.
The company said Monday it aims to build a microelectromechanical system-based sensor IMU technology for the detection of angular motion and acceleration under DARPA’s Precise Robust Inertial Guidance for Munitions Navigation-Grade Inertial Measurement Unit project.
Alex Fax, program director for advanced positioning, navigation and timing solutions at Northrop’s mission systems unit, said he believes miniaturization of IMUs can help warfighters operate in contested environments.
The contract has a $6.27 million base value and calls for the company to demonstrate that its suite of MEMS-based accelerometers and gyroscopes can address the program’s system performance and environmental requirements.
Northrop noted the $5.3 million in contract options will cover performance assessment on a prototype IMU technology in a Defense Department-run simulated environment.
