Case Study: NOAA modernizes fleet navigation with Exail FOG systems

NOAA boosts fleet navigation reliability 5x with Exail

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) operates a fleet of research vessels that faced operational disruptions due to aging mechanical gyrocompasses. These systems required frequent maintenance and lacked the reliability needed for NOAA's critical oceanic missions, which include seafloor mapping and fisheries surveys. To address this, NOAA selected Exail and its advanced Fiber Optic Gyroscope (FOG) technology for a fleet-wide retrofit.

Exail implemented its Quadrans Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS) and Netans Data Distribution Unit (DDU) across multiple NOAA vessels. This solution eliminated moving parts, drastically reducing maintenance needs and offering a Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) of 150,000 hours. The results for NOAA included enhanced navigation precision for data collection, uninterrupted operations, significant cost savings, and improved crew satisfaction. The success led to plans for retrofitting more ships and equipping new vessels, solidifying a long-term partnership with Exail.

NOAA