• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

BAE SYSTEMS MEMS IMU in second successful guided flight test of ERGM

08 Feb 2002

BAE Systems Avionics supplies the silicon Micro-machined Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) Inertial Measurement Unit (SiIMU) fitted to the Extended Range Guided Munition (ERGM). Team ERGM, led by Raytheon Company, successfully conducted an all-up round, guided flight of ERGM on 10th December 2001, at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, USA. This is the second time that an all-up ERGM round has been successfully fired from a 5-inch/62 gun.

The test, designated Control Test Vehicle-2 (CTV-2), again demonstrated the ability of the ERGM round to perform as predicted after being fired from a gun. The significant achievement, beyond that of the CTV-1 flight test, was the successful operation of the tactical Guidance Electronic Unit (GEU) design in which the BAE Systems SiIMU provides all inertial measurement information. Other functionality demonstrated during CTV-2 includes up reference determination, roll stabilisation, aerodynamic stability and, most importantly, GPS acquisition, track and guidance. Again, SiIMU played a critical role in the successful completion of these functions.

"This is the second in a series of flight tests that demonstrates progress toward the 2005 Initial Operational Capability of ERGM," said Captain Herb Hause, the US Navy's ERGM programme manager.

Brian O'Cain, Raytheon's ERGM programme manager said "This flight test was a major step forward for GPS-guided projectiles in demonstrating autonomous acquisition and navigation after gun launch."
Note to editors:

SiIMU is an all micro-machined silicon inertial measurement unit developed by BAE Systems' Inertial Systems Division at Plymouth, England. Its SiVSG MEMS sensor technology is the result of over 15 years research and development. This revolutionary solid state sensor technology is a breakthrough in gyro system affordability and robustness, enabling inertial guidance and control of next-generation, gun-launched, guided weapons to be realised. SiVSG is in mass production for commercial as well as military applications, and SiIMU enters full production for a range of military and high-performance commercial applications in late 2002.

A key element of the US Navy's littoral warfare concept, the 5-inch, rocket-assisted ERGM will provide surface combatants with the ability to support forces ashore with responsive, sustained, accurate fire. ERGM's increased range and precision GPS guidance provides a leap-ahead capability to support the US Marine Corps ashore. ERGM uses an increased propelling charge and rocket motor to achieve maximum projectile range.