Test results over extended environments for Litton´s inertial navigation grade interferometric fiber optic gyro

Litton´s Guidance and Control Systems Division has been developing interferometric fiber optic gyro (IFOG) technology for inertial navigation applications (requiring bias ⩽0.01 degrees per hour, one sigma) since 1986. The objective of this effort has been to develop a small, lightweight, highly reliable rotation sensor based on solid-state technology for productionization before the year 2000. A number of applications of this technology are currently in development. This paper focuses on the testing status of Litton´s LN-250 IFOG which incorporates one kilometer of fiber in a package less than three inches in diameter. Results from tests over extended environments show that inertial navigation grade performance in bias, angular random walk, scale factor and input axis alignment has been achieved under static and dynamic conditions. Plans for further development and testing are discussed