iXblue and its Spanish representative Grafinta have signed a contract with GMV to provide navigation systems for the Spanish Army’s 8×8 VCR DRAGÓN programme, iXblue writes in a press release. The contract covers the delivery of over 240 ADVANS series Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), namely URSA U5 and VEGA V5, with a first batch due in early 2022.
Based on the well-known GDELS 8×8 PIRANHA 5 combat wheeled vehicles, the DRAGÓN programme is a major element of the Spanish Army’s modernisation efforts. GMV as contractor of the navigation system will integrate iXblue systems with GMV’s technology in GNSS and navigation algorithms.
According to iXblue, URSA U5 is the only cost-effective, north finding and easy to integrate INS for military land vehicles, allowing it to be fitted on an entire fleet. VEGA V5, on the other hand, is a higher performance INS designed for both navigation and pointing applications.
With the recent selection of iXblue’s MARINS series INS and NETANS Data Distribution Units to equip the Spanish Armada’s new F110 frigates, iXblue hopes to become a key player for navigation solutions in Spain.
JH