Absolute Attitude and Heading Reference Measurement System

The OneTESS program is the U.S. Army next generation system for conducting live training exercises of simulated force-on-force/target engagements. The existing weapon orientation system for the OneTESS program uses magnetometers to obtain the weapon heading information. Unfortunately, the magnetometer measurements are highly susceptible to many random error sources such as sun spot activity, power lines, and hard/soft iron effects. In addition, the GPS methods for obtaining absolute heading information during indoor exercises are vulnerable to RF multi-path problems and to signal degradation and loss. In the Phase II program, Trex Enterprises Corporation in collaboration with Innalabs Inc. and Evolution Robotics will design, build, and field demonstrate a revolutionary sensor system that provides an ideal solution to the OneTESS weapon orientation problem and can be used in other commercial and military applications. The proposed Celestial/inertial Weapon Orientation Module (CWOM) integrates three advanced navigation technologies: Inertial Sensor Technology, Celestial Navigation sensor system, and Optical Navigation Technology for both outdoor and indoor operation. The CWOM overcomes principal limitations of the current weapon orientation system and provides a means for precise measurement of weapon’s aim point in highly dynamic and difficult magnetic environments. The Phase II effort will build and field demonstrate the CWOM on various target weaponry including a live fire demonstration on the M16, M249, M240 and M2 weapons.