Optical Inertial Reference Unit for Navy Tactical Airborne High Energy Laser (HEL) Applications

SA Photonics is pleased to propose our FALCON Optical Inertial Reference Unit (OIRU) for use on High Energy Laser (HEL) weapon systems on tactical air platforms. The inertially stabilized Optical Reference Beam (ORB) provided by an OIRU serves as a"virtual star"and is a key element in the jitter control system of aircraft-hosted optical systems. The low-frequency band of the IMU signals below the band used to stabilize the ORB can serve as an angle reference during target acquisition slews. Present state-of-the-art OIRUs are too large for tactical use, and are susceptible to linear vibrations. The FALCON OIRU, based on SA Photonics fiber optic gyro (FOG) technology, addresses the size and vibration issues of the aircraft-hosted tactical HEL application. The FALCON OIRU can be packaged in a 2 inch cube, and provides high sensitivity and low errors required for dual use as a jitter control virtual star and as a low-frequency IMU angle reference.