Two new superyachts under construction at Perini Navi in Italy are to be equipped with integrated bridge systems by the Northrop Grumman Corporation (NGC). The yachts are the 56m aluminium ketch Melek (launched last July at Viareggio) and the first 55m steel-hulled motoryacht in the new Vitruvius Explorer series built at La Spezia. Both are due for delivery in 2011.

The orders for the integrated bridge systems were awarded to Northrop Grumman's Sperry Marine business unit through Telemar Yachting — Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine's authorized sales and service representative for the yacht market in Italy. Telemar Yachting is responsible for designing, installing, integrating and commissioning the bridge electronics for both yachts.

Commenting on the order J. Nolasco DaCunha, vice president of Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine, says:"The new superyachts are being fitted with VisionMaster FT, TotalWatch, multifunction workstations, integrating the electronic charting system, radars, autopilot, heading and speed sensors in an Ethernet navigation network,"

Telemar MD, Andy Gifford, says: "The flexibility of the TotalWatch system allows us to select the VisionMaster FT platform for both sailing and motor yachts alike — and with the new widescreen presentation it is even easier to have all the information for the safe navigation of the vessel at your fingertips."

Based in Italy with offices in China and the US, Telemar Yachting is a major supplier of navigation and electronic systems to the European superyacht market. It is a division of the Telemar Group, the largest marine electronics supplier in the Mediterranean with worldwide offices and more than 2,000 vessels under contract.

Sperry Marine is a business unit of Northrop Grumman's Naval and Marine Systems Division.

Superyacht Business / David Robinson , 1 September 2010