BLAST Helicopter System Makes Desert Landings Safer

BAE Systems is set to exhibit advanced new helicopter safety technology at the upcoming Defence and Security Equipment International event in London next week.

Already trialled, the firm's BLAST system was produced as a solution to the issue of military helicopters operating in dusty terrain, of the kind encountered during the Afghan and Iraqi conflicts.

BLAST, or Brownout Landing Air System Technology, is intended to boost visibility when conditions are not conducive to takeoff or landing procedures. DVEs, or Degraded Visual Environments include not only brownouts, but also smoke and fog, and BLAST harnesses features already present in earlier technologies to try and counter them.

Helicopter Desert Landings

The versatility and utility of helicopters has made them a crucial part of modern warfare but, in desert environments, the downwash produced by their rotor blades encourages trademark swirls of dust to rise up - creating so-called brownouts. These present a significant safety risk to helicopters, with the airborne particles re-circulating and there have been a number of accidents attributed to lack of visibility during helicopter desert landings.

Allied forces have examined the circumstances behind these events and come to understand that dedicated technology solutions are required to overcome them, as opposed to pure training. That's where BAE Systems' BLAST could really make a difference.

BLAST Helicopter Trials

In April this year, the system was put through a fortnight's testing in Arizona. The BLAST helicopter trials saw the system integrated into a Bell UH-1 helicopter and effectively generated 3-D visual landing zone data in real-time, helping the test pilots operate in DVE scenarios.

"The system combines proven millimetre wave (MMW) technology with advanced situational awareness capabilities, and provides safe-flight capabilities for front-line helicopter crews in diminished visibility conditions such as brownouts, whiteouts, darkness and adverse weather, helping the pilot achieve mission success", BAE Systems Defence Avionics Business Development Director, Paul Cooke, explained in a company press release issued on 8 September 2011.

The system will be on show at DSEI, which runs between 13-16 September in London. Further information on the event is available at the official DSEI website.

See also:

Companies supplying Helicopter Equipment