Orbital ATK has completed testing and characterization of its ShotFinder Acoustic Hostile-Fire Indication System on a fixed-wing aircraft.
The ShotFinder system, installed on a Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft configured for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, collected ambient acoustic data while the aircraft was being subjected to a variety of operating scenarios.
Data analysis and simulated live-fire data injection indicates the system will accurately produce hostile-fire indications from the expected threats.
“Orbital ATK’s ShotFinder has previously been shown to be effective against a variety of incoming enemy-arms fire when utilized on rotary-wing platforms,” said Cary Ralston, Vice President and General Manager of the Defense Electronic Systems Division of Orbital ATK’s Defense Systems Group.
“The additional data collection on a fixed-wing platform broadens the potential user base to allow Caravan and other fixed-wing pilots the improved means to safely complete their mission.”
ShotFinder identifies and directionally locates small-arms fire, anti-aircraft artillery and rocket-propelled grenade threats.
Orbital ATK, together with Scientific Applications and Research Associates (SARA), developed the acoustic hostile-fire warning system by using the supersonic shock wave from a passing bullet and the muzzle blast from the weapon to determine a bullet’s origin and point of closest approach.
ShotFinder has a high probability of hostile-fire detection and a low false-alarm rate, and relays a real-time directional warning to the pilot.
Orbital ATK’s Defense Systems Group is an industry leader in providing innovative and affordable ammunition, precision and strike weapons, electronic warfare systems, and missile components across air-, sea- and land-based systems.
Orbital ATK designs, builds and delivers space, defense and aviation systems for customers around the world, both as a prime contractor and merchant supplier.
Its main products include launch vehicles and related propulsion systems; missile products, subsystems and defense electronics; precision weapons, armament systems and ammunition; satellites and associated space components and services; and advanced aerospace structures.
