Integrated Inertial Networks (WPAFB/McDonnell)

The primary objective of the Air Force's Integrated Inertial Network (IIN) Program was to develop and evaluate the use of integrated inertial networks for dynamic sensor alignment and enhanced reliability aboard advanced flexible airframes. Under subcontract to McDonnell Douglas Aircraft (MDA), Integrity Systems (ISI) developed a differential inertial filter (DIF) to estimate the structural and boresight misalignments at critical sensor/weapon locations on the aircraft. ISI analyzed the effects on flexure estimation accuracy of structural vibration and inertial instrument errors. ISI also developed the IIN Simulator, containing high-fidelity structural flexure and vibration models, high fidelity INS and IMU models, and DIF filter implementations. Using this tool, with aircraft flexure and vibration data supplied by MDA, ISI conducted extensive simulation tests of the final DIF design, characterizing its performance capabilities at various locations on the aircraft, and quantifying the effects of the primary performance drivers.