Advanced Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) Hypersonic Flight Test Results

In late 2024, we successfully conducted the first ever hypersonic flight testing of the Advanced Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). This technology is in development by Northrop Grumman (NGC), in partnership with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Aviation & Missile Center (AvMC) and NTA Inc. for demanding GPS denied applications. The next generation IMU is based on in-house milliHemispherical Resonator Gyroscope (mHRG) and Silicon Accelerometer (SiAc) sensors. The sensor technologies are integrated with modern electronics and firmware in a selfcontained and rugged unit with cutting edge Size, Weight, and Power (SWAP). The main purpose of the completed round of flight testing was to objectively validate a technology maturity milestone for the new IMU in representatively extreme flight regimes and environments using a reusable hypersonic vehicle.