What the slip ring has to handle
- High-current power channels (around 90-300 A) for turret drives and vehicle power
- Gigabit Ethernet, serial (RS232/RS422/CAN) and video (analogue PAL/NTSC and HD-SDI)
- Optional multimode fibre channels
- Shock, vibration and temperature qualification to military environmental standards
- EMC compliance and vehicle power-quality compliance
- Military circular connectors and compact, low-mass housings
- Low speed, high acceleration azimuth motion
Typical figures
| Current | 2 x 90 A or 2 x 300 A power channels plus 12-44 x 2 A discrete channels (example turret rings) |
|---|---|
| Data | 2 x 1000BASE-T Ethernet, 2-4 serial (RS232/RS422/CAN), analogue and HD-SDI video |
| Fibre | 2 multimode 50/125 um on some units |
| Speed | 10-15 rpm max; acceleration up to 120 deg/s2 |
| Temperature | -32 C to +65 C operating (example) |
| Ingress protection | IP40 to IP64 (examples) |
| Weight | Under 6-8 kg (examples) |
Example figures from the published sources listed below. Your requirement may differ; an engineer will confirm against your duty cycle.
Recommended slip ring types
Standards to consider
- MIL-STD-810 - environmental engineering and test methods (shock, vibration, temperature)
- MIL-STD-461 - control of electromagnetic interference for equipment and subsystems
- MIL-STD-1275 - characteristics of 28 V DC electrical systems in military vehicles
- MIL-DTL-38999 - circular connectors commonly used on turret slip rings
The complete system
A slip ring rarely works alone. For defence turrets & weapon stations it is usually specified together with:
- azimuth torque motor
- elevation drive
- servo drive / turret controller
- absolute encoder or resolver
- slewing bearing
- brake
- gyro stabilisation
Specifying these together avoids mismatched connectors, cable routes and feedback interfaces, and gives you one point of contact for the whole axis.
Common problems to design out
- Video or Ethernet dropouts under shock and vibration
- EMI from drive currents corrupting signals
- Contact chatter from gun-firing shock
- Dust and moisture ingress in field use
Series used in this application
Frequently asked questions
What signals pass through a weapon station slip ring?
Typically drive power, Ethernet, CAN bus and sighting video in a single unit, with some designs adding fibre. This lets the operator stay under armour while controlling the rotating station.
Which military standards apply to turret slip rings?
Environmental testing to MIL-STD-810, EMC to MIL-STD-461 and vehicle 28 V power to MIL-STD-1275 are commonly cited. Connectors are often to MIL-DTL-38999.
How much current can a turret slip ring carry?
Published turret designs offer power channels from around 90 A up to 300 A, alongside dozens of 2 A discrete channels and data rings. The ratings are sized to turret drive and payload demand.