Test Firing Of Newest Seawolf Missile Demonstrates Performance of Low-Cost, Lightweight Silicon Gyro Technology
24 Nov 2003
The recent successful test firing of the U.K. Royal Navys newest Seawolf missile is the latest demonstration of low-cost, lightweight guidance technology for weapon systems. At the heart of the missiles guidance system are solid-state silicon inertial measurement units employing SiVSG silicon vibrating-structure gyroscopes provided by BAE Systems Inertial Products in Plymouth, U.K.
MBDA, Seawolf prime contractor and Europes leading missile systems company, conducted the test firing of the Block 2 variant of the Vertical Launch Seawolf at the Vidsel range in northern Sweden. The test included the safety-critical turnover maneuver of the missile, which is launched vertically from the deck of a warship.
Previous versions of the Seawolf, a rapid-response naval point defence system, used conventional rotating gyros that are much bulkier, heavier, and more expensive to manufacture and maintain than the new solid-state units. Replacement of these mechanical units with silicon gyros was a key element of the U.K. Ministry of Defenses Smart Procurement initiative for Block 2.
Silicon technology is demonstrating its potential for cost, size, and weight savings for missile systems and other military as well as civil applications, said Art Siegel, vice president of BAE Systems Inertial Products. We are proud to have played a key role in this test firing and are prepared to support MBDA in the programs production phase.
The successful firing was crucial to the continued success of the Block 2 project, enabling MBDA to proceed to the next phase. The Block 2 missile runs a set of detailed checks prior to firing, including dialogues with the missile firing unit, any one of which can prevent launch. Following the completion of all checks, the missile launched, turned over onto the correct bearing, and proceeded down range, meeting all the requirements for the trial.
The SiVSG silicon gyro, which recently won the Queens Award for Enterprise, U.K.s top business award, are small enough to fit comfortably into the palm of a hand and are robust, accurate, and inexpensive enough to be used in products ranging from guided weapons to automotive antilock braking and stabilisation systems.
About BAE SYSTEMS:
BAE Systems is an international company engaged in the development, delivery, and support of advanced defence and aerospace systems in the air, on land, at sea, and in space. The company designs, manufactures, and supports military aircraft, surface ships, submarines, radar, avionics, communications, electronics, and guided weapon systems. It is a pioneer in technology with a heritage stretching back hundreds of years and is at the forefront of innovation, working to develop the next generation of intelligent defence systems.
BAE Systems has major operations across five continents and customers in some 130 countries. The company employs more than 90,000 people and generates annual sales of approximately 12 billion through its wholly owned and joint-venture operations.
BAE Systems Inertial Products is a unit of the companys U.S.-based Platform Solutions Sector. The Platform Solutions Sector is a leading global supplier of integrated electronic control products, subsystems, and man-machine interface systems for air, space, sea, and ground vehicles. The sector develops and produces electronic vehicle management systems, electronic engine controls, cockpit and helmet displays, power management systems, hybrid electric vehicle drives, and inertial systems for a variety of platforms including fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, missiles, ground vehicles, ships, and space launch vehicles. Based in Johnson City, New York, it employs approximately 6,400 people at 12 facilities in the United States and the United Kingdom.
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