Northrop Grumman Advances Airborne Navigation Capabilities for the US Navy

Woodland Hills, Calif. – Feb. 4, 2025 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is advancing the U.S. Navy’s airborne navigation capabilities with implementation of the LN-251M, the next-generation upgrade of the LN-251 Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning System (INS/GPS). The LN-251M features M-code – an encrypted, military-specific signal with stronger jam resistance to shield against adversarial threats.

This is the first M-code navigation system for naval aircraft.

M-code technology provides enhanced robustness to counter GPS signal degradation, enabling pilots greater ability to effectively operate in air spaces where GPS has been shut down or spoofed.

LN-251s equipped with Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Modules GPS may easily upgrade to M-code configuration.

Expert:

Ryan Arrington, vice president, navigation and cockpit systems, Northrop Grumman: “The LN-251M is Northrop Grumman’s newest innovation in elevating airborne navigation to the next level. This important enhancement is a critical milestone for delivering advanced positioning, navigation and timing capabilities because it enables pilots to safely operate with a jam-resilient navigation system for naval aircraft.”

Program Details:

LN-251s are designed to seamlessly integrate with current aircraft navigation systems and perform cohesively with future software and GPS modernization upgrades. Northrop Grumman began producing the LN-251 INS/GPS in 2003.To date, the company has delivered nearly 5,000 LN-251s and similar LN-270 INS/GPS units.

Learn more about Northrop Grumman’s capabilities at sea, on land and in the air.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our employees define possible every day.

Photo courtesy Northrop Grumman