Missile captive carry monitoring and helicopter identification using a capacitive microelectromechanical systems accelerometer

Military missiles are exposed to many sources of mechanical vibration that can affect system reliability, safety, and mission effectiveness. The US Army Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center has been developing missile health monitoring systems to assess and improve reliability, reduce life cycle costs, and increase system readiness. One of the most significant exposures to vibration occurs when the missile is being carried by a helicopter or other aviation platform, which is a condition known as captive carry. Recording the duration of captive carry exposure during the missile’s service life can enable the implementation of predictive maintenance and resource management programs. Since the vibration imparted by each class of helicopter varies in frequency and amplitude, tracking the vibration exposure from each helicopter separately can help quantify the severity and harmonic content of the exposure. To help address these needs, the authors have developed a captive carry health...