by Michael Hlavaty with contributions from Dennis Miller

Earlier this year, Kearfott led the way with the first test flight demonstrating the architecture of the U.S. Air Force R-EGI program, Resilient-Embedded GPS/INS (Inertial Navigation System). The core components of this system are Kearfott’s Next Generation Inertial Measurement Unit (NxIMU) and Safety Critical Navigation Processor.

USAF and IS4S representatives visited the Kearfott headquarters in Pine Brook, New Jersey, on Thursday, October 10, 2024, to recognize the Kearfott team for their critical role in the successful test flight. The team was presented with a plaque and flag flown onboard the groundbreaking test flight.

Dr. Mikel Miller, IS4S Sr. Vice President PNT (Precision Navigation and Timing), thanked Kearfott for support in leading the first flight test demonstrating R-EGI. Dr. Miller presented a commemorative plaque and addressed the Kearfott employees. He stated, “What a blessing to be with you in this amazing facility and have the opportunity to thank the entire Kearfott team for your outstanding support in achieving the first flight of the R-EGI architecture! Your dedication, agility, speed, and hard work have truly made a difference. This milestone not only propels us forward but also sets the stage for delivering groundbreaking capabilities to our warfighters. When industry and government join forces, we can unleash incredible results at lightning speed. Once again, thank you for being an essential part of this achievement!”

Maj. Bernard J. Mutz (USAF), R-EGI Program Manager, PNT Program Office remarked, “It was truly an unbelievable experience witnessing firsthand the professional and technical experience possessed by the Kearfott team. When John Stanfill told us we’d be flying a Kearfott safety-critical card in the R-EGI architecture in under six months, I couldn’t believe it. But you’ve made me a true believer! I can’t express enough gratitude for the incredible effort your team has put in. The warfighter is definitely taking notice, and this capability is set to be a game changer! Thank you for paving the way to deliver cutting-edge capabilities to the warfighter!”

Kearfott’s work on the R-EGI program continues to make rapid progress and is paving the way for an urgent warfighter need to navigate in GPS-denied environments.