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 systems 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.
Benefit: There are numerous anticipated benefits of designing and producing a modern, digital intervalometer. Most of the benefits come from the digital aspect of the new system. A digital systems components are cheaper than an analog systems when the design is aiming for exactness. Digital components are also faster and more reliable for data transmission. The new system will be efficient and trustworthy in remembering or detecting which rockets have fired and which ones remain. GS Engineerings highly experienced team of mechanical engineers will be able to create a structurally sound, vitally protective case for the PCB. Having GS Engineering design and order the enclosure from a trusted partner is beneficial to ensure the job is done well. Hiring a different company without experience with mechanical enclosures could be detrimental to protection of the intervalometer circuit board. Given all these benefits, there must be buyers. One such consumer will be the Navy. Any aircraft that uses launchers like the LAU-68 or LAU-131 will be able to update their intervalometers to GS Engineerings brand new, fully functional, and interchangeable system. Other units of the military, such as the US Air Force or the Army may be customers of the intervalometer if their aircraft are equipped with analog intervalometers for rockets launchers like the LAU-68 or LAU-131. The digital intervalometer has key advantages over the older electromechanical designs: Solid-state construction means there is no pre-determined lifespan. Digital technology provides solid timing accuracy over supply voltage and temperature ranges. Expected overall cost is expected to be lower, with modern low-cost microcontrollers and standard power devices replacing complicated mechanical switch components. Potential customers include all current users of LAU-XX series launchers, including Navy, Air Force and Army. Wherever electromechanical intervalometers such as ORDTECH OMI-IV series or those from Arnold Defense are employed, this digital variant will be a drop-in replacement. Since the current product requires frequent replacement (lifetime of several dozen firings), there are many opportunities to upgrade to the digital variant. Launchers under discussion include LAU-3, LAU-61, LAU-68 (Army M158A1), LAU-130, LAU-131 and LAU-161.
Keywords: LAU-68, LAU-68, Launcher, LAU-131, intervalometer, Rocket
