18 Jul 06. EADS will equip four VIP helicopters of the Georgian government with its Airborne Missile Protection System (AMPS). As reported by EADS Defence Electronics during Farnborough Airshow, the helicopters of the types EC145 and 155, Mi-17 and Mi-8 will be equipped with an integrated protection system consisting of MILDS AN/AAR-60 missile warning system, counter measures dispensers and a central control and display unit. AMPS is an autonomous system, primarily designed for the stand alone operation on helicopters and wide-body aircraft without a complex electronic warfare suite onboard. It consists of a small number of components, does not need any interface to the aircraft’s avionics and is controlled by one single display and control unit. Thus, AMPS is perfectly suited for retrofit programmes of legacy aircraft.
18 Jul 06. AgustaWestland is completing its Trial Installation testing of the Bowman radio system in the Royal Air Force’s EH101 Merlin HC Mk.3 and Chinook HC Mk.2/2A helicopters under a contract from BOWMAN prime contractor General Dynamics UK. This represents the first rotary wing aircraft to be fitted with the new radio system. The contract requires the Company to install the BOWMAN radio system into the RAF’s EH101 Merlin and Chinook fleets. The US radio supplier, ITT Defense, developed the BOWMAN VHF equipment from their highly successful SINCGARS radio, used in large numbers by the Armed Forces of the USA and other nations. The BOWMAN radio uses fast frequency hopping with embedded encryption to handle both voice and data transmissions. For the airborne application, ITT has re-packaged the ground radio as an aircraft component, to certify it for airborne applications and make it interoperable with the land version. BOWMAN will be introduced to both aircraft types progressively through 2007. In the Chinook Mk 2/2a, in addition to the BOWMAN equipment, AgustaWestland has installed a modern Secure Communications Control System, the Thales RA 800M, which uses fibre-optic transmission to enhance communications security. In the EH101 Merlin Mk 3, AgustaWestland introduced a software upgrade to the Aircraft Management System, integrating the complex radio management requirements into the aircraft system. AgustaWestland is looking forward to the opportunity to embody BOWMAN into other in service aircraft and include it in the basic communications suite of Future Lynx variants for the UK MoD.
18 Jul 06. Raytheon Aircraft Company is ready to deliver the robust, mission-ready Beechcraft AT-6 platform for the net-centric battlefield. By adding sensors, data-link, cockpit protection, and various weapons configurations to the world’s most affordable, reliable and proven training platform, the Beechcraft AT-6 provides the warfighter with unrivaled capacity for real-world contingencies at a fraction of the cost of other platforms. Through its open architecture design, the Beechcraft AT-6 offers a versatile solution that is capable of meeting multiple mission requirements. The Beechcraft AT-6 multi-role, multi-mission system is designed for C3ISR, Close Air Support (CAS), Urban CAS, Global War on Terrorism, Low Intensity Conflict (LIC), Homeland Security, Escort, Special Operations Forces, and the training needs of the twenty-first century. An already well-established logistics infrastructure currently supports more than 400 aircraft at six U.S. and two international locations, with planned support continuing through 2050. The Beechcraft AT-6 provides class-leading capabilities and a competitive solution set. The aircraft can be outfitted with a head-up display (HUD); multi-function displays; and integrated special missions and weapons systems for combat, surveillance, command, control, communications and training.
17 Jul 06. Barco and navigation software leader EuroAvionics have announced a partnership to provide a new, cutting edge digital map solution for today’s cockpit needs. The brand-new solution combine