Helicopter monitoring system uses Litton V2A2 lightweight computer

Citation

(2001), "Helicopter monitoring system uses Litton V2A2 lightweight computer", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 73 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2001.12773dad.011

Helicopter monitoring system uses Litton V2A2 lightweight computer

Helicopter monitoring system uses Litton V2A2 lightweight computerKeywords: Rugged Systems, Litton Data Systems, Helicopters, Monitoring

UK-based Rugged Systems has chosen Litton Data Systems' V2A2 lightweight computer as the basis of a new helicopter health monitoring system being developed with the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) (Plate 3). The rugged deployable HUMS information management computer system is reported to have been successfully tested by the RNLAF to monitor and relay the condition and usage of helicopter fleets in the field.

"The Litton V2A2 was the ideal choice for the rugged HUMS computer system", commented Chris Harrington, sales and marketing director at Rugged Systems. "The unit is used extensively by the US military and is probably the most successful ruggedised computer in service. Its proven reliability and peripheral support enable the system we helped develop to be deployed anywhere in the world."

Plate 3 UK-based Rugged Systems has chosen Litton Data Systems' V2A2 lightweight computer as the basis of a new helicopter health monitoring system being developed with the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF)

The new rugged system is said to offer a HUMS information management platform in any environmental conditions wherever helicopters are deployed. It enables helicopter fleets flying frequent multi-base missions and extended field assignments to operate more efficiently and safely.

The V2A2 is built with an open-system, non-proprietary architecture and has the capability to run applications under UNIX (including SCO and Sun Solaris), MS-DOS or Windows. It features a 200MHz Pentium processor and 10GB removable hard drive which easily accommodates the Stewart Hughes' AHUMS™ and EuroHUMS™ software for mixed helicopter fleets.

Available with a 10.4 inch 256 colour active matrixSVGA LCD and 16MB of RAM expandable to 256MB, the V2A2 also offers a detachable keyboard. A range of clip-on peripherals, including a EuroHUMS ground interface unit (GIU) and CD-ROM and tape drive units complete a suite of hardware for the deployable computer system.

The V2A2 and peripheral units are said to meet the US military standards for shock, vibration, EMI and environmental resistance. They also reportedly operate over a temperature range of –25°C to 49°C and are claimed to be water immersible. The V2A2 has a 2,400 hour ground-mobile mean time between failures (MTBF).

Further details are available from Litton UK Ltd. Tel: +44 (0) 1276 675511; Fax: +44 (0) 1275 676262.