A resonator fiber optic gyroscope (RFOG) comprising: one or more light sources to produce a first light and a second light; an optical fiber resonator including: an optical fiber having a first end and a second end; a first input/output coupling element to couple at least a portion of the first light into the optical fiber as clockwise propagating light; a second input/output coupling element to couple at least a portion of the second light into the optical fiber as counter-clockwise propagating light; one or more optical filters configured to suppress noise light in the resonator; one or more first variable optical attenuators (VOAs) configured to adjust the loss of the resonator with fast response; and one or more optical gain elements configured to provide amplification of light to offset part of the losses of the resonator; a first detector configured to sense a portion of the counter-clockwise propagating light and provide a signal based thereon to resonance tracking electronics; a second detector configured to sense a portion of the clockwise propagating light and provide a signal based thereon to the resonance tracking electronics; the resonance tracking electronics configured to determine a rotation rate of the optical fiber resonator based on the signals from the first and second detector; one or more pump lasers to produce one or more pump beams for the one or more optical gain elements in the resonator; control electronics configured to control the one or more pump lasers and the one or more first variable optical attenuators, such that the round-trip loss of the resonator is a substantially constant, positive value. one or more light sources to produce a first light and a second light; an optical fiber resonator including: an optical fiber having a first end and a second end; a first input/output coupling element to couple at least a portion of the first light into the optical fiber as clockwise propagating light; a second input/output coupling element to couple at least a portion of the second light into the optical fiber as counter-clockwise propagating light; one or more optical filters configured to suppress noise light in the resonator; one or more first variable optical attenuators (VOAs) configured to adjust the loss of the resonator with fast response; and one or more optical gain elements configured to provide amplification of light to offset part of the losses of the resonator; an optical fiber having a first end and a second end; a first input/output coupling element to couple at least a portion of the first light into the optical fiber as clockwise propagating light; a second input/output coupling element to couple at least a portion of the second light into the optical fiber as counter-clockwise propagating light; one or more optical filters configured to suppress noise light in the resonator; one or more first variable optical attenuators (VOAs) configured to adjust the loss of the resonator with fast response; and one or more optical gain elements configured to provide amplification of light to offset part of the losses of the resonator; a first detector configured to sense a portion of the counter-clockwise propagating light and provide a signal based thereon to resonance tracking electronics; a second detector configured to sense a portion of the clockwise propagating light and provide a signal based thereon to the resonance tracking electronics; the resonance tracking electronics configured to determine a rotation rate of the optical fiber resonator based on the signals from the first and second detector; one or more pump lasers to produce one or more pump beams for the one or more optical gain elements in the resonator; control electronics configured to control the one or more pump lasers and the one or more first variable optical attenuators, such that the round-trip loss of the resonator is a substantially constant, positive value.