Safran Electronics & Defense is to design, develop and build an improved version of its global navigation system used on French ballistic missile submarines.

The contract from the country's military procurement agency calls for a variant of the system used on Triomphant-class nuclear submarines.

The new system will incorporate new technologies for higher performance to eliminate the need for electrostatically suspended gyroscopes, which are traditionally used for navigation on strategic platforms, Safran said.

Safran did not disclose the duration of the contract or its monetary value.

Safran inertial navigation systems are used on more than 500 surface ships from around the world as well more than 70 nuclear-powered and diesel-electric submarines.