HMS SCOTT ring laser gyro navigator integration

HMS SCOTT is a United Kingdom ocean survey vessel, that hosts a state-of-the-art deep ocean mapping system. A recent update of this system consisted of the replacement of an inertial navigation system. One reason for updating the ship´s inertial system was to provide higher accuracy attitude data, than was previously available with the old inertial system, to the high resolution multi-beam sonar system in order to produce improved bathymetric charts. After conducting a market survey of suitable inertial navigator systems, the Kearfott SEANAV ring laser gyro navigator, (RLGN), system, using a monolithic T-24 gyro, was selected to replace the old inertial system. Operational testing of this updated system aboard HMS SCOTT in November, 2003, showed a marked improvement in the quality of the map product due in part to the improved attitude data provided by the SEANAV RLGN system.