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.