The US Army awarded Raytheon a $13 million contract to develop additional sensor prototypes for the Advanced Distributed Aperture System (ADAS), which gives helicopter pilots 360-degree situational awareness for low level and night-time flying.
ADAS uses strategically placed sensors around the aircraft to provide spherical coverage. The sensors feed data to a BAE Systems helmet that displays a high-definition picture to the pilot. A Raytheon video displays what the pilot sees using the helmet and sensors.
The Army launched the ADAS program to assist pilots flying at low levels…
The original ADAS provides up to 6 infrared sensors and a combined helmet display showing a full view of the cockpit and other parts of the helicopter, including the engines and tail rotor. Additional capabilities to be provided by Raytheon include an indicator of hostile fire, landing-assist symbols that appear on the helmet display for operation in low visibility, and infrared search-and-track and 3D audio systems.
Raytheon has demonstrate the system’s capabilities on a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter. The award is the 1st extension of the Joint Capability Technology Demonstration contract, initially funded in September 2008.
Raytheon is developing ADAS with the Army’s Research Development and Engineering Command; Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center; and Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate.