Babcock Wins Aerial Delivery System Contract

• Babcock is currently delivering 186 units of its innovative aerial drop system, SBADS, to the MoD

Babcock has been awarded a post-design support contract by the UK Ministry of Defence for the Small Boat Aerial Delivery System (SBADS) that the company is currently delivering under an earlier, competitively-won contract.

Babcock is currently delivering 186 units of its innovative aerial drop system, SBADS, to the MoD. The system has been designed by Babcock's Integrated Technology team to deliver small rigid and inflatable hulled boats safely to the ocean from military transport aircraft. It was selected by the MoD after competitive trials, in which it out-performed other air-drop system solutions.

The modular system features a novel deceleration mechanism that can be adjusted to control deceleration rates on impact with the water, to avoid damage to the payload on landing. A unique, patented, twin V-form flexible sheet provides low deceleration and hence low landing forces initially, and then higher deceleration to prevent payload submersion.

The system is modular to handle larger payloads, or to enable a variety of payloads to be dropped, from life rafts and medical equipment containers to boats over 12ft long with outboard motors fitted ready for action. The modules are designed to be compatible with the Hercules and Airbus A400M or other aircraft equipped with the standard 108 inch cargo handling system, and could easily be modified to suit other aircraft. The modules can be fitted with floats to allow recovery and re-use during training exercises, or can be configured to sink during operations.

Babcock has developed a manufacturing process for the SBADS using a range of purpose designed welding jigs and fixtures that 'standardises' production, to enable rapid delivery while maintaining quality. Approximately half of the systems ordered have been delivered to date, exceeding expectations.

Babcock has now been awarded a post-design support contract for the SBADS under which the company will provide engineering support to SBADS until at least October 2014. An important part of this contract includes looking at development of the system and use of the innovative design aspects of SBADS with other items of equipment that need to be air-dropped.

Babcock Integrated Technology project manager Roger Taylor comments: "The SBADS system is the latest thing in aerial delivery, meeting the need to protect the payload and integrate with the aircraft exceptionally well, and has been very well received by the customer. We are now looking to apply this technology for other air drop applications, building on the system's versatility and potential to be extended to cover a range of boats and other equipment."

Noting the ability to control deceleration rates to protect the payload, and its modularity to handle a variety of payloads, Allan Brocklebank, project manager from the Hercules and TriStar Project Team, remarked: "The SBADS system is the best thing we've seen in aerial delivery in 20 years."

Source : Babcock International