AIRBORNE SYSTEMS DEMONSTRATES NEW AIR DEPLOYABLE LIFE RAFT

Belleville, Ontario, Canada: A new air deployable life raft system specifically developed for Search and Rescue helicopter airdrops by Airborne Systems - has been successfully deployed from a Sikorsky S-61 helicopter in St. John’s NFLD. The Helicopter Aerial Rescue Kit (HARK), developed by Airborne Systems Canada Ltd, the Canadian subsidiary of Airborne Systems a world leader in parachute systems and technology, includes a fully kitted out and modified 6 or 10 man life raft for use by survivors in a maritime incident.

HARK’s flexibility means it  can be dropped in either a single or double configuration, in which two rafts are connected, with 250 ft of buoyant rope that offers a life line to dispersed survivors in the water. The operating altitude for the HARK is from 50 ft to 200 ft ASL, ensuring optimum operational flexibility.

The life raft is inflated on the sea surface, rather than in the air, using patented water activated device, avoiding potential landing damage or the raft being blown off course. A sea-anchor is deployed automatically at the same time as inflation to minimize the effect of surface winds.

The raft is equipped with survival items, including a radio that allows direct communication back to the helicopter or a rescue vessel.

The HARK is based on the Aerial Rescue Kit (ARK) product currently in proven service with the Canadian Forces Search and Rescue squadrons aboard the CC-130 and CC-115 Buffalo aircraft.

Airborne Systems has developed a wide range of air droppable survival kits and HARK joins the ARK, Small Pack Aerial Response Kit (SPARK) the Cold Weather SPARK and the Survival Kit Air Droppable Marine/Land (SKAD).