Digital Firing Device

The US Navy uses analog intervalometers with rocket launchers like the LAU-68 or the LAU-131 to fire rockets one at a time or in a ripple fashion from aircraft. They focus on enhancement of power, control of voltage losses, and limitation of size. The system’s mode must be set before takeoff, the system is analog, and the design is decades old. Modernizing these intervalometers as digital and solid-state would make them more accurate, durable, and reliable. Instead of relying on electromechanical components, the new design would use speed-of-light communication in state-of-the-art integrated circuits, all while remaining protected by a durable enclosure. The new intervalometers, even with all their improved features, would be interchangeable with the legacy systems. The new systems would also meet all timing, power, and sizing requirements. GS Engineering is pleased to present a digital, solid-state intervalometer with all such features. Each intervalometer will use a quick-starting microcontroller, DC-DC converter, fast transistor switching system, and either digital comparators or ADC voltage checks for verifying presence of squibs. The microcontroller will be the brain of the system. It will check which rockets have fired, turn on and off transistors to fire rockets, and store current states of all squibs in nonvolatile memory prior to shut down. Upon startup, the intervalometer will use the status of single or ripple fire to provide power to designated squibs. The transistors will work with the microcontroller to provide short circuit and open circuit protection. The planning, design, and testing phases will take time to ensure feasibility and reliability. However, the proposal has outlined specific electrical components and circuitry for the final board. This will save some time when designing the PCB and allow proof-of-concept to be accelerated. Such limitations that GS Engineering considered were the fact that each rocket has a limited resistance and requires a minimum amount of current to launch; the power supply, which is only active on a trigger pull, has limited voltage and current across a limited resistance; finally, short circuit and open circuit protection is vital to protect the system and its user. Given the need for an upgrade and the feasibility of the digital substitution, this will be a valuable component on military aircraft. Once the system is fully functional, pilots will have reliable control over rocket launches.