Turkish Air Force Selects LN-260 Navigation System for its C-130 Aircraft

Released on Monday, July 21, 2008

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., July 21, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been selected by the Turkish Air Force to provide the newest fiber-optic gyro inertial navigation system, the LN-260, for use on its C-130 aircraft.

The LN-260 inertial navigation system provides platform navigation and low-noise navigation inputs to steady radar pictures, help precisely direct communications antennas, or guide sensors to enable highly accurate positions for ground and aerial targets for the C-130s. The LN-260 offers high performance, high reliability, light weight and low power consumption to combat aircraft.

"This is the first commercial international sale of the LN-260 and its first application to the C-130 platform," said Jim Myers, vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman Navigation Systems Division. "This win will highlight the capabilities of the LN-260 and demonstrate to U.S. and international customers how Northrop Grumman navigation systems can enhance the performance of all classes of existing military aircraft."

"We see a bright future for the LN-260 inertial navigation system," said Gorik Hossepian, Northrop Grumman vice president of Navigation and Positioning Systems. "In addition to being selected for the Turkish Air Force C-130, the LN-260 has been selected for the U.S. Air Force F-16 Multinational Fighter Program and the U.S. Navy F-5 upgrade kit. LN-260 units have been delivered for each of these programs."

The LN-260 is a completely integrated inertial navigation system (INS) with a 24-channel embedded global positioning system (GPS) receiver. The fully integrated, tightly coupled GPS is selective availability/anti-spoofing module-compliant and its inertial design provides superior performance relative to other embedded INS/GPS systems. Its modular, open system architecture allows it to be easily adapted to new applications, to new system requirements and to improve performance of mission equipment and flight control systems.

ASELSAN Inc., Northrop Grumman's co-production partner in Turkey for over fifteen years, will manufacture and deliver the LN-260 INS/GPS units to Tusas Aerospace Industries Inc. (TAI) for installation on Turkish Air Force C-130 aircraft. ASELSAN will also manufacture LN-260 units for additional Turkish Air Force programs.