U.S. Army Works to Develop Paratrooper Black Box

Researchers from the United States Army have recently been working on a type of black box for paratroopers in order to prevent jump accidents in the future. Investigators of paratrooper accidents currently rely on eyewitness evidence or accounts, such as a torn parachute canopy. This current approach is simply based upon evidence and information that is pieced together.

The Suite of Senors, as it’s nicknamed now, is a concept leaders in the airborne community hope to develop into a device to place on a paratrooper during a jump to gather a range of data, such as body position and altitude during an aircraft exit.

reported a story from Fayobserver.com.

The data could help investigators precisely piece together fatal airborne mishaps, review procedures to mitigate future deaths and determine which paratroopers need extra training.

The commanding general of the United States Army Combat Readiness Center at Fort Rucker, Alabama and director of Army Safety, Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Farnsworth, first put this concept into motion several months ago. He believes that findings and information from fatal airborne operations should be more accurate in order to mitigate future deaths. If paratrooper investigators were able to review detailed information in order to reconstruct certain incidents, the United States Army would be better able to prevent future accidents.

The concept for the suite of sensors will continue to be refined as the manufacturers work it toward a demonstration phase, which could determine how the technology will be created and put into the testing phase.

said Matthew Cox from Kit Up.

It will be tested through the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center laboratory in Massachusetts.


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