Since the 1980s, the US Air Force has indicated that it will firmly apply the laser gyro to the air force system, and signed two contracts with McDonald Douglas to implement a research plan called "Integrated Inertial Reference Module", the content of which is to develop a dual-box module sensor system using the laser gyro. The navy also plans to use laser gyro inertial navigation system on carrier aircraft in the 1980s, which is called CA 1NS 1. The army is going to use laser gyro in the positioning/navigation, surveillance/reconnaissance, fire control and flight control system of army aircraft.
After the strategic defense plan (SDI) was put forward by the United States in 1985, the application of laser technology in military systems and space weapons has attracted much attention. According to the SDI budget, the investment in this field in fiscal year 1985 was 104 billion USD, most of which was used to carry out laser experiments, including the development of laser gyro.
In 1990s, according to the requirements of advanced cruise missiles and tactical aircraft navigation, the strapdown performance of laser gyro (SPS) was studied in the United States. MacDonald Douglas was selected as the main contractor of SPS, followed by Honeywell, Litton, Rockwell and Singer Kilford.
There are many research units of laser gyro abroad, among which the United States and France have a high level of development, in addition to Russia, Germany and other countries.
1. United States of America
The manufacturers of laser gyroscopes in the United States are Honeywell, Litton and sperry.
(1) Honeywell company
The ideal tactical inertial device must have the characteristics of low cost, small volume, light weight and firmness. Honeywell's GG 1308 and GG 1320 are the latest products developed for this purpose.
The key technologies adopted by the company are as follows:
(1) in improving accuracy
The subdivision technology of output signal can maintain the required resolution in miniaturized RLG. Increase the frequency of jitter bias to increase the sampling frequency of RLG. Miniaturized RLG has small inertia and high resonance frequency, which can improve the frequency in the design of dithering polarizer. Therefore, the sampling frequency of RLG and the calculation frequency of SINS can be improved, which is beneficial to ensure the accuracy of SINS.
(2) in terms of reducing costs
The glass sintering process is used to seal the mirror and the electrode. BK-7 optical glass is used to replace materials with zero expansion coefficient, such as Zerodur. Therefore, it is necessary to establish the condition of light wave resonance in the resonator and compensate the temperature error. An inertial navigation system composed of GG 1308 is HGl500-IMU. The inertial navigation system composed of GG 1320 is H-764C.
(2) Kilford Company
On the basis of single-axis RLG, in order to meet the needs of small satellites and spacecraft, the company developed a miniature three-axis laser gyroscope MRLG. The company uses force feedback accelerometer and MRLG to form inertial measurement unit IMU. This inertial navigation system can also be used in tactical weapons, including torpedoes.
2. France
France has strong laser gyro and system technology. France's SWXTANT Company and SAGEM Company both started to study the laser gyro technology in 1970s, and now they have formed laser gyroscopes with different sizes and accuracies.
(1) sextant company
The sextant company began to study the laser gyro in 1972, and the sextant laser gyro was first used in Jaguar helicopter flight in 1979. 198 1 33cm laser gyro won the bid in ANS supersonic missile project, 1987 was first used in Ariane 4 rocket flight, and 1990 sextant company won the bid in France's future strategic missile project.
(2) Sachim Company
SAGEM company began to study ring laser gyro from 1977. 1987 assembled the first prototype GLS32. After the technology is mature, it mainly produces strapdown inertial navigation systems for aviation and submarines. The GLC 16 prototype is assembled in 1987, which is mainly used for strapdown inertial navigation systems of helicopters and small launch vehicles.