Sagem’s BlueNaute system to upgrade USCG’s Juniper WLB class vessels

The US Coast Guard (USCG) has selected Sagem’s new attitude and heading reference system to upgrade a dozen of its ocean-going ships.

Selected on the basis of its ergonomic design, performance and longevity, the BlueNaute heading and attitude reference system will be integrated into about a dozen Juniper WLB class seagoing buoy tenders.

Based on Sagem’s hemispherical resonator gyros (HRG), BlueNaute is a disruptive navigation technology and is designed for scientific missions, at-sea searches, offshore operations and coast guard or police missions.

Developed for installation onboard oil and gas tankers, container ships, cruise liners, mega-yachts, hydrographic ships, as well as coast guard and offshore support vessels, the system addresses all evolving maritime navigation requirements with mean time between failures exceeding 100,000h.

The system’s inertial core offers a competitive advantage in terms of total cost of ownership and performance, versus the previous generation of inertial technologies, especially fibre-optic and mechanical models.

Weighing 45kg, BlueNaute system is manufactured at Sagem’s facility in Montluçon, in Auvergne region of south-central France, as reported by FORCE.

Sagem did not disclose when it will supply the systems, which satisfy all international maritime regulations, to the USCG.

The WLB Juniper class is a 2,000t ocean-going ship, specialised in the laying of navigation buoys, and in the fight against pollution and search missions at sea.

The USCG’s inventory currently includes 16 ships of such type.