Elbit Systems, the Israel-based defense supplier, has acquired marine electronics company Sparton Corporation for $380 million. The move brings into the Elbit portfolio Sparton’s inertial sensing technology known for its magnetic precision in navigation and positioning applications for military as well as commercial uses along with its sonobuoy systems for maritime defense, depicted above.
“The growing importance of the maritime arena and the market position and technological strength of Sparton make this acquisition significant to our long-term growth strategy, with a particular focus on the U.S.,” said Bezhalel Machlis, Elbit Systems President & CEO. Headquartered in De Leon Springs, Florida, Sparton develops and manufactures many of its systems in support of undersea warfare for the U.S. Navy and allied military forces.
The company’s inertial sensors are recognized for overcoming distortions, whether from magnetic and ferrous materials or electric current, which can spell disaster for standard sensors, particularly in hazardous environments and complex terrain.
Considered one of the industry’s best performing inertial systems, the Sparton altitude heading reference system (AHRS) uses MEMS magnetometer, accelerometer and gyroscope technology. They provide seamless heading and position information even in areas where GPS signals are unavailable and GPS-based devices are unable to operate.
Shown above is the company’s flagship AHRS-M2, a micro-sized, light weight, low power system with tri-axial magnetometers, MEMS accelerometers and gyroscopes. Its AdaptCal technology provides continuous, automatic, 3D adaptive in-field calibration with hard and soft magnetic interference compensation. Integrated AdaptNav technology provides real-time noise characterization and active gyro drift compensation for superior heading, pitch, and roll performance in electrically and mechanically noisy environments.
Sparton sonobuoys, used extensively for underwater detection, are typically deployed by aircraft flying over the area being monitored. For more info, see www.elbitsystems.com and www.sparton.com.
