Sparton Defense And Security Launches New & Advanced Navigation Sensors And Hydrophone Products

For Immediate Release

Navigation and Acoustic Sensors Debut at AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems North America August 16 – 19, Booth #415

DE LEON SPRINGS, FL (August 9, 2011) – Sparton Corporation (NYSE: SPA) will introduce new products that will change the face of today’s navigation and exploration industry during the AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems North America symposium scheduled August 16-19, 2011 in Washington, D.C.  The company will introduce the new, next-generation navigation sensors and an advanced acoustic hydrophone, market areas where Sparton has extensive field experience and proven reliability. Visitors to the Sparton booth, #415, can watch live demonstrations of the products, and may qualify to receive one of a limited number of pre-production navigation sensor products.

“Our navigation sensors provide highly accurate heading and orientation information, even in areas where GPS signals are unavailable and GPS-based devices are unable to operate,” said Cary Wood, president and CEO, Sparton.  “Our products provide an industry leading degree of accuracy due to our proprietary calibration techniques and advanced sensor fusion algorithms that deliver consistently reliable headings in a wide variety of applications and environments,” he added.

Sparton’s navigation sensors offer the customer industry leading features including:

  • True North Heading Indication based on Magnetic Variation Correction
  • 2-D and 3-D Manual Calibration
  • Continuous In-field Calibration
  • Full 360 degree Rollover Capability
  • Motion Stabilization
  • Rapid Initialization
  • Selectable Baud Rate
  • Full Encapsulation
  • Improved heading accuracy in harsh magnetic environments

“At this AUVSI conference, we will introduce our new gyro-enhanced navigation sensor, the GEDC-6.  We invite customers to speak to us about this new product and any of their unique product needs that require the custom engineered solutions that Sparton can provide,” said Jim Lackemacher, vice president and general manager of Sparton Defense and Security Systems.

Sparton’s navigation sensors deliver best-in-class adaptive in-field calibration to compensate for errors caused by positional changes in dynamic environments.  Gyro-enhancement provides additional navigation sensor heading accuracy in the presence of stray magnetic fields and dynamic environments. The new navigation sensors will be available for purchase and shipment in Fall 2011.

Sparton is currently the only company to provide both navigation sensors and hydrophones. The Sparton design team has developed some of the most sensitive specialty hydrophones for general purpose underwater acoustic applications and marine seismic acquisition systems, such as oil and gas exploration and sea floor mapping. The designs operate well in all harsh environments that include extreme temperature fluctuations and high shock applications.

“Our expertise in developing products that work in the rigor of military applications has given us the experience and know-how to serve commercial markets. Our specialty hydrophones are designed to provide high quality performance and real world durability at an affordable price,” said Wood.

The new PHOD-1 hydrophone is an excellent solution for underwater applications requiring a small, rugged, omnidirectional, broadband hydrophone. The specialty hydrophones are now available for shipment and can be purchased at www.sparton.com. Interested customers can also speak with a Sparton representative at booth #415 at AUVSI to place an order.

Sparton Events Schedule:

  • Tuesday, August 16 at 10:30 a.m. EDT: Sparton Corporation will be featured at Beyond the Showcase
  • Wednesday, August 17 at 2:30 p.m. EDT in Room 159B: Cary Wood, president and CEO of Sparton, and Jim Lackemacher, vice president and general manager of Sparton Defense and Security, will host a press conference to answer questions about the new products, announce Sparton’s new application engineering services and custom calibration solutions, and to discuss their expanded domestic technical sales force.
  • Throughout the show, live demonstrations will be available in the Sparton Booth #415.

About Sparton Corporation

Sparton Corporation (NYSE:SPA), now in its 111th year, is a provider of complex and sophisticated electromechanical devices with capabilities that include concept development, industrial design, design and manufacturing engineering, production, distribution, and field service. The primary market classifications served are Navigation and Exploration, Defense and Security, Medical, and Complex Systems. Headquartered in Schaumburg, IL, Sparton currently has five manufacturing locations worldwide. For more information, visit www.sparton.com.

Download PDF →

Analyst Contact

Don Pearson
Sparton Corporation
Email: ir@sparton.com
Office: (847) 762-5812

Media Contact

Mike Osborne
Sparton Corporation
Email: ir@sparton.com
Office: (847) 762-5814

Investor Contact

John Nesbett/Jennifer Belodeau
Institutional Marketing Services
Email: jnesbett@institutionalms.com
Office: (203) 972-9200