Pre-integrated sensor package and installation kit aim to provide C-130 operators with a ready-made mission suite

HENSOLDT and the US mission aircraft supplier Airdyne Aerospace Inc. have signed an MoU to jointly offer an integrated and certified mission suite in a first step specifically for C-130 mission aircraft.

The mission suite combines HENSOLDT’s “MissionGrid” portfolio of different sensors and mission management systems and Airdyne’s SABIR, which is a system of individual “bolt-on” modular components that can be configured in several ways to support various missions, aircraft configurations, and other requirements.

“HENSOLDT has a long-standing track record of providing a variety of sensors for ISR missions as well as mission management systems and mission avionics”, said Steffen Kolditz, Head of Airborne Solution Business Unit at HENSOLDT. “Therefore, Airdyne, with its versatile SABIR system, is the ideal partner to jointly offer an exportable mission package to C-130 customers worldwide with very low integration risks for the end-user”.

HENSOLDT’s MissionGrid consists of building blocks such as airborne radar, COMINT and ELINT sensors, electro-optical sensors and mission computers, which are pre-integrated and tested at their own premises. This results in reduced technical risk or shortened integration times, among other things.

It can be used on fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles. In addition to military air and naval missions, it is used for border protection, search and rescue, maritime patrol and law enforcement.

Airdyne’s SABIR System is a modular open architecture set of mounting components, including Doors, Robotic Struts, Mission Pods, Workstations, Avionics Racks, Crashworthy Seats, Power Modules and more. SABIR mission systems accommodate thousands of sensor/communication configurations and many pod designs – independently developed or created by Airdyne. The system supports a wide range of missions, such as full spectrum military operations, maritime patrol, search and rescue, surveillance, C5ISR, CBRNE, crisis response, command and control, and even scientific and environmental research. It is compatible with all C-130 models and can be installed as a temporary or permanent solution.