FreeFlight SBAS/GNSS receiver chosen for USAF helicopter fleet

A FreeFlight Systems SBAS/GNSS receiver has been selected to provide ADS-B position source information as a part of an upcoming ADS-B modification and compliance program for the United States Air Force HH-60G helicopter fleet.

Strategic Enterprise Solutions Corp. (SESC) of Warner Robins, Georgia, was awarded the modification program, which includes installation of the 1203C SBAS/GNSS receiver and the AN/APX-119 Mode S Extended Squitter transponder with Mode 5 capability to provide a complete ADS-B Out solution for more than 100 helicopters.

An HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter lands in Afghanistan; a UH-60 Blackhawk is in the background. (Photo: U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Brian Ferguson)

The FreeFlight Systems 1203C SBAS/GNSS receiver is a certified, high-integrity position source in a compact, lightweight package that was designed to be modular and able to be integrated with various other avionics.

The 1203C pairs seamlessly with certified Mode S Extended Squitter transponders for a fully rule-compliant ADS-B Out system, FreeFlight said.

More than a war hawk. The primary mission of the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter is to conduct day or night personnel recovery operations into hostile environments to recover isolated personnel during war.

The HH-60G is also tasked to perform military operations other than war, including civil search and rescue, medical evacuation, disaster response, humanitarian assistance, security cooperation/aviation advisory, NASA space flight support, and rescue command and control.

The 1203C in service. With several hundred 1203Cs in service across airline transport, military, business aviation and rotorcraft platforms, these receivers are known for their high performance, ease of installation, operational reliability and longevity, FreeFlight said.

The 1203C SBAS/GNSS receiver and antenna (Photo: FreeFlight Systems)

The 1203C can also serve as the approved position source for select manufacturers of TAWS/FMS, RNP and other NextGen applications, and allows customers to take advantage of the operational and safety benefits provided by the NextGen airspace transformation without the need for extensive and costly avionics upgrades.

With the ADS-B mandate now only 17 months away, aircraft operators need to prioritize ADS-B installations.

Significant portions of today’s airline, business, and military aircraft fleet will remain in service long after 2020, and in many cases an STC’d retrofit solution comprising of a transponder upgrade and the addition of a dedicated SBAS/GNSS receiver like the 1203C is the simplest and most cost-effective way to achieve mandate compliance, FreeFlight said.