Army CH-47F Chinooks get upgraded RNP-RNAV capabilities from Rockwell Collins
NewsApril 06, 2015
NASHVILLE, Tenn. Rockwell Collins engineers provided a Required Navigation Performance-Area Navigation (RNP-RNAV) upgrade to U.S. Army CH-47F Chinook helicopters already equipped with the company's Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS).
The new capability, initially fielded last fall, enables Chinook users to operate in and around civil airspace with safety benefits that were previously afforded only to commercial aircraft. This upgrade was most recently fielded with the Minnesota/Iowa National Guard, as well as the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade at Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii.
The RNP software also enables the CH-47F user to be compliant with civil flight rules while operating in the continental U.S., Europe, and other areas globally where traffic congestion is being met by newer Communication, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) rules.
“RNP-RNAV provides tactical helicopters with full civil airspace interoperability under current flight rules. It eliminates the need to obtain waivers or be limited to non-preferred routing, while ensuring timely and efficient mission planning and execution,” says Troy Brunk, vice president and general manager of Airborne Solutions for Rockwell Collins.
