Esterline has been contracted to supply avionics systems for German Armed Forces’ CH-53GS/GE retrofit programme.
Under the contract awarded by Airbus Helicopters, Esterline is to supply the CMC Electronics brand-integrated solution for the upgrade of the German Armed Forces’ CH-53GS/GE Sea Stallion helicopters.
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As part of the deal, the CH-53GS/GE’s capabilities will be improved by providing a flexible, modernised cockpit with improved civil navigation features.
Esterline avionics systems president Michel Potvin said: “The German Armed Forces were looking for a cost-effective way to extend the life of their Sea Stallion fleet and we are delighted that the CH-53GS/GE helicopters will benefit from the extensive navigation and radio management capabilities of our CMA-9000 FMS, as well as from our latest generation of smart multi-function displays.
“Our integrated helicopter solutions are highly flexible, allowing for multiple levels of modernisation, from a minor upgrade to a full avionics suite. Our goal is to optimise situational awareness for our commercial and military customers and ensure their mission success.”
The upgrade includes Esterline CMC Electronics CMA-9000 flight management system and the Esterline MFD-3068 smart multi-function display.
The CMA-9000 has been optimised for helicopter operations to provide flight management and multi-sensor navigation throughout all phases of flight, radio management and many specialised functions that help reduce pilot workload during mission-critical applications such as search-and-rescue (SAR) and offshore operations.
Supporting both military and civil navigation modes, it is in line with the latest standards for required navigation performance (RNP) and satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) approaches, including localiser performance with vertical guidance (LPV).
The night-vision goggle capability enables night-time operations for police, SAR and emergency medical service operators, making the CMA-9000 suitable for a wide range of helicopter applications, Esterline stated.
The MFD-3068 smart display features modular open system architecture (MOSArt) middleware built with non-proprietary industry standards for the partitioning of applications (ARINC 653) and the latest in multi-core real-time operating systems (RTOS).
It offers true 8-bit colour rendition and has a light-emitting diode (LED) illumination system to support multi-mode operations.
Image: The German Army Sikorsky CH-53G Super Stallion. Photo: courtesy of Julian Herzog via Wikipedia.
