Joint Precision Airdrop System
The JPADS is a heavy-duty blow-off system of the U.S. armed forces for precise and autonomous Luftanlandung military loads. The system was developed in 1997 to allow a parachute system to a safe and accurate dropping of supplies for military but also humanitarian purposes from great heights. Is used JPADS with the U.S. Marines, the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force.
- 3.1 Sherpa
- 3.2 Screamer
- 3.3 Microfly, FireFly, DragonFly, MegaFly
- SPADES 3.4
- 3.5 Cassidian ParaLander
Construction
The system consists of a cargo pallet with Gleitfallschirm that is automatically guided to a pre-programmed with the GPS landing point. The Airborne Guidance Unit ( AGU) consists of about 25 kilograms control unit with a GPS receiver, a computer, two batteries and driven by an electric motor winches for the control cables of the glider. Before dropping the expected drop off point is calculated using a calculation program against the rotating winds aloft toward the goal. After shedding, the AGU calculated taking into account the GPS signal their current position and the path to the target point. Subsequently, the control cables of the glider will direct the winds with speeds of up to one meter per second moves around the screen and get to your destination.
As a basis for programming the control unit serves a mission planning software that runs on a standard notebook and with the aircrews calculates the drop-off to flying. To view the current weather and wind conditions can explore in the field of application are dropped a weather probe to calculate a precise throw. According to the U.S. industry's first systems have already been delivered due to the tremendous urgency to the troops, as the CEP values reached at 100 meters and were among them. The CEP (Circular Error Probable ) describes the radius around a point in the enclosed circular area 50 % of all values lie.
The system of Gleitfallschirm and control unit can be reused after recovery. Only the impact of the load absorbing pallets are consumables. The Gleitfallschirme subject to a predetermined lifetime after which they must be replaced. Electronics, electrics and mechanics of the control box to be - this is partly associated with diagnostic systems - checked prior to the recent use and re-loaded the batteries. Includes packing of the screens to prepare the system should last you for a new use between 45 and 90 minutes.
Stages of development and implementation of state
The JPADS program is designed for four stages. JPADS 2K with 2,200 pounds ( lb ) or 1000 kg payload is considered a mature technology. JPADS 10K with up to 10,000 lb or 4545 kg has not yet reached this stage and is in the stage of field testing. Even in industrial testing are the JPADS 30K systems with maximum capacity up to 30,000 lb or 13,636 kg. And the last stage, the JPADS 60K systems with huge 60,000 lb / 27,272 kg, is still in the stage of research and development. Further development goals are higher ranges - where initially 46 km were defined as target - and more precise landings. The former is manifest in more advanced Schirrmtechnologien. Greater accuracy will be most likely achieved through better software and thus more precise control, some manufacturers advertise the reprogrammability of their systems.
System modifications
In addition, the Air Mobility Command parts from the JPADS program used to even bombings with standard screens from greater heights for better accuracy be achieved. In order to determine the wind conditions in the drop zone before dropping a wind probe to be dropped, the JPADS the computer provides accurate data on the current wind conditions. This then calculates a release point to the target set point for a round canopy heavy duty screen at an altitude of 250 meters instead of 2500 meters for the " original" JPAS achieve.
Benefits
The transport aircraft must therefore no longer deduct from low altitudes loads are therefore better protected from air defense and can supply goods in varying quantities and weight to be precisely where it is needed to land. The supply chain and the corresponding reduction in the Frachtumschlages to advanced supply points is substantially accelerated by the air transport with transport planes from Verlasteflughafen to the end user. JPADS can in any weather and around the clock to be used - even with " zero visibility ".
Applied systems
Sherpa
As one of the first companies in the Mist Mobility Integrated Systems Technology Inc. supplied with the " Sherpa " a functioning system. The U.S. Marine Corps used the system for the first time in August 2004 in Iraq. " Sherpa " exists in four versions for loads of 46-1000 kg. The discharge takes place at altitudes between 2,450 meters above the ground to 8,080 meters above sea level. The system reaches speeds up to 150 knots and lays distances over 20 kilometers to the finish point. Was achieved a CEP of an average of 69 meters in operations in Iraq. The system has the ability to depart routes eg Avoid obstacles as well as several Landemodi and can be overridden from the ground if necessary to still submit new target coordinates while flying beyond.
Screamer
Screamer is the JPADS of the U.S. parachute specialists Strong Enterprises for the U.S. Air Force. Two systems are offered, the central element is one and the same control box. The Screamer 2K is designed for loads of 320-1000 kg, may from altitudes between 2,450 meters above ground level to 8,000 meters above sea level, at speeds of 110-150 nodes are dropped and backed by sliding occurred of 2:1 or better and descent rates of approximately 38 meters per second up to 14 km distance back to the finish point. Screamer 2K weighs 75 kilograms. It consists of a small stabilizing screen which holds the discarded pallet in the proper position in order to ensure the deployment of the ram air drogue 20.25 square foot ( RAD) paraglider. This operates at speeds of up to 150 kilometers per hour, with sink rates up to 26 meters per second and the flight time of maximum height of up to 390 seconds. Thereafter, a conventional round canopy parachute opens at which the load for landing on 7 meters per second is braked.
Range bombing with up to eight 2-component systems in an overflight on different target positions were demonstrated. The Screamer 10K works with loads between 2270 kg and 4545 kg. The system is much more difficult with 363 kg, because the glider has 79 square feet of space and two round caps come each with 30 m diameter for use for the landing. Speed (145 km / h) and descent (21 m / sec ) are slightly lower than the " 2C " corresponding to the flight time can be up to 435 seconds at the paraglider. Range bombing with up to four 10K - systems in a fly-over to different target positions were demonstrated.
Microfly, FireFly, DragonFly, MegaFly
The U.S. manufacturer Airborne Systems is a supplier JAPADS system family for the U.S. Army.
Microfly is designed for loads from 45 kg to 315 kg, FireFly for loads from 225 kg to 1000 kg and which is currently under operational test DragonFly offers a payload of 2200 kg to 4500 kg. Still in testing is the heavy duty system MegaFly which to 13.6 thousand kilograms is dropped from heights of 8,000 meters carry loads up to 40 kilometers - which would mean at least a slip rate of 5:1. This Airborne Systems is on the way to the third stage of is a four performance classes JPADS program.
SPADES
The Smart Parafoil Autonomous Delivery System SPADES by Dutch Space / EADS is the European competitor to the U.S. systems already in use or in an advanced stage of practical field testing. The SPADES 1000 ( " 2K" ) system is suitable for loads of 100 to 1,000 kilograms and is expected to reach a CEP of 50 meters in use. AGU of SPADES weighs 22 kilograms and can be supported by up to two batteries attachable to 4 per kilogram. A built-in real-time wind sensor is to eliminate the need for accurate measurements before dropping, for the use of SPADES rich information from a standard flight planning. The mission planning tool of SPADES is to manage 15 to be able to individual bombings during a flight, with changes of target and waypoints to a few minutes may be made before the release.
Cassidian ParaLander
Qv Cassidian ParaLander