Thales provides avionics equipment to Brazilian Army’s modernised helicopters

Key points

  • Thales’s IESI will equip the Esquilo/Fennec helicopters of the Brazilian Army.
  • Six helicopters will be retrofitted with Thales’s IESI in 2014.
  • The contract will comprise a total of 36 helicopters and will be completed in 2018.

 

Thales will provide its Integrated Electronic Stand-by Instrument (IESI) to modernise the Esquilo/Fennec helicopter fleet of the Brazilian Army. A total of 36 helicopters will be retrofitted with the Thales system with completion expected in 2018.

The first batch will be completed by 2014, whereby Thales’s IESI will be integrated into six initial helicopters by Helibras, the Brazilian subsidiary of Airbus Helicopter.

The Thales IESI performs three essential back-up functions: artificial horizon, altimeter and airspeed indicator, all in a single Line Replaceable Unit (LRU). Already flying onboard Sikorsky S-76D, the Thales IESI has also been selected by Airbus Helicopters for its range of light and medium-lift helicopters including the Ecureuil family, the EC135, EC145, EC155, EC175 and their military versions, including the modernised AS 365 K2 Super Pantera.

Thales’s IESI is perfectly suited for helicopter missions and performs well at low speed, low altitude and high turn rates. Resistance to High Intensity Radio Frequencies (HIRF), durability in humid, saline and high-vibration environments has been pushed to levels not previously reached by this kind of equipment. Together, these innovations ensure optimal operation in all types of circumstances and, in turn, the highest level of flight safety, reliability and low direct maintenance cost.

Thales’s IESI is also able to receive and control other functions such as Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) back up, Radio Management System (RMS) back up, depending on customer requirements.

“The selection of our IESI system by the Brazilian Army underlines the perfect fit of our solution for the upgrading of helicopters. Thales’s IESI will offer the Brazilian Army the highest levels of reliability for their missions in any flight conditions.”

Yves Joannic, Thales VP in charge of helicopter avionics business

 

 

 

                                 

 

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