GMV’s navigation system chosen for Spain’s new F-110 frigates

The F-110 frigate being developed for the Spanish Navy. (Artist’s concept: Spanish Ministry of Defense)

The technology multinational GMV has signed a contract with Spanish corporation Navantia to develop and supply its SENDA navigation system for the future F-110 frigates.

The F-110 frigates represent a technological leap forward in platform systems and its combat system, incorporating Industry 4.0 technologies to improve lifecycle-long system management.

The various F-110 systems call for a continuous, precise, and trustworthy positioning, speed and attitude source. With this purpose in mind, SENDA incorporates multi-constellation (GPS and Galileo) satellite navigation technology compatible with both civil and military signals, plus differential GNSS corrections. It combines its GNSS navigation data with data received from external sensors, such as inertial navigation systems (INS) and pitometer logs. It includes state-of-the-art algorithms to provide robust navigation in contested GNSS scenarios.

SENDA also includes a timing server that generates highly precise and stable timing signals, allowing the ship’s systems to synchronize with GPS time. SENDA guarantees timing-reference stability and negligible drift, even during prolonged periods of GPS downtime.

SENDA is a redundant system with two complete functional subsystems working in active-active configuration, together with redundant GNSS signal distribution. Both systems, monitored in real time, exchange information to provide the overall system with the best possible solution.

GMV has experience in aeronautics, land and naval sectors with platforms such as the Atlante tactical long-endurance UAV, the 8×8 Dragon ground vehicle and now the F-110 frigates.

GMV worked with the Spanish Ministry of Defense MoD to develop a system prototype during the F-110 definition phase. The future F-110 frigates will replace the current Santa María class frigates starting in 2026.