Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), Inertial Measurements Unit (IMU) Common Guidance Program

Abstract

Precision Guided Munitions (PGMs) are critical to the Maneuver Battalion Commander's success on future, rapidly deployed, battlefields. These PGMs will provide an increase in lethality, significantly improve survivability, reduce collateral damage, minimize non-combatant casualties, and decrease the logistics burden or increase the number of kills from the standard logistics load. PGMs all require inertial measurement sensors embodied in an Inertial Measurements Unit (IMU). Up to now they have been large, expensive, and could not readily survive the high G launch environments. Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology provides inherent cost savings and size reduction and is ideal for application to navigation and control systems for small missiles and munitions. Using MEMS technology, gyroscopes, accelerometers and control electronics can readily be integrated to form a tightly packaged, low-cost, extremely small, high performance IMU suitable for munitions and missiles, as well as other applications. The ultimate objective of the MEMS Common Guidance program is to develop technology that can be exploited by 90% of the tactical weapons fleet navigation requirements. This paper will describe the current Army development underway and some of the technical challenges we have encountered, as well as outlining the results of our Quality Functional Deployment conducted to assure our end-users needs are met.