4-May-2015 Source: KERT
ET has begun equipping helicopters with the Mi-8AMTSh-VA strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS). This is the first application of SINS on a domestic helicopter and will allow aircraft to navigate and perform tasks in the extreme conditions of the Far North.
This year there are plans to deliver 120 systems for all types of aircraft, including Mi-8AMTSh-VA helicopters. This is the Arctic version of the Mi-8, which was created specifically for Russian troops in the Arctic.
Developing the strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS) is one of the main activities for KRET enterprises. Currently, KRET is implementing an investment project to establish the serial production of these systems. This project, which is worth 14.5 billion rubles, has no analogues in Russia. It is intended to meet the needs for SINS systems for aviation and ground equipment. By 2020, KRET plans to produce 1,500 units per year.
Based on all performance characteristics, the SINS system produced by KRET is not inferior to its foreign counterparts and actually has a longer guaranteed operating cycle than the majority of foreign analogues at no less than 50,000 hours.
The SINS system has been adapted for operation in conditions with low temperatures, high radiation, and a lack of satellite signals or communications with terrestrial services. The SINS operating temperature range is from -60 to 55 degrees, with an extreme limit from -70 to 85 degrees Celsius.
SINS will enable fully autonomous high-precision navigation in the Arctic in conditions where other traditional navigation systems cannot function. The presence of a modern and reliable inertial navigation system will enable pilots to always be able to determine their location and direction even in the event of the failure of their electronics.