Navy testing of the iXBlue MARINS Fiber Optic Gyroscope (FOG) Inertial Navigation system (INS)

The iXBlue MARINS Fiber Optic Gyroscope (FOG) Inertial Navigation System (INS) has been selected by the U.S. Navy for test and evaluation under the Foreign Comparability Testing (FCT) Program. The MARINS system can potentially be used as a third inertial navigator aboard U.S. Naval ships and submarines. A comprehensive test and evaluation program was conducted by SPAWAR Atlantic in its Navigation Land Based Test Site (LBTS) located at the Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek - Fort Story, in Virginia Beach, VA and at the Pennsylvania State University's Applied Research Laboratory (PSU ARL) Quiet Test Laboratory (QTL) located at the Navigation Research and Development Center (NRDC) in Warminster, PA. The purpose of the rigorous test and evaluation program was to assess the MARINS functional and performance capabilities for specific mission purposes in the US Navy. The test program consisted of both controlled laboratory stationary and dynamic testing to characterize the MARINS navigation performance under various test scenarios. System position, velocity, attitude, attitude rate and inertial component (i.e. gyroscope, accelerometer) data was analyzed and will be quantified. The paper presents an introduction to the FCT program and the boundaries and guidelines for test projects. For this effort, SPAWAR Atlantic conducted both stationary and dynamic testing on a Scorsby Ship's Motion simulator to obtain baseline position and velocity error performance. Upon completion of the SPAWAR Atlantic test effort, the MARINS unit was shipped to PSU/ARL NRDC, Warminster, PA for further evaluation where precise velocity, heading, roll, pitch, calibration, and sensor characteristic data was obtained utilizing a high-precision Three (3)-axis motion table. Results of both system level and sensor level testing at the SPAWAR LBTS and PSU/ARL NRDC are presented. Test results and analysis are presented indicating potential benefits to specific mission purposes.