Radioelectronic and thermovisual support in display systems to aid in searching for sea-going ships from search & rescue helicopters

Abstract

This paper presents the basic principles of SAR (Search and Rescue) and CSAR (Combat Search and Rescue) missions, with the SAR support systems installed on-board Polish and German military helicopters presented in more detail. Mi8/17 and W3PL “Głuszec” helicopters with an integrated avionics system (designed and constructed in the Air Force Institute of Technology) used in combination with an on-board weaponry system are designed to undertake CSAR missions. A TOPLITE observation-targeting head (with TV and FLIR thermal cameras, for day and night operation respectively) and a RSC125G on-board radio direction finder were used to search for survivors. The weaponry system of the W3PL “Głuszec” helicopter is involved in supporting CSAR search-rescue tasks, e.g. functions of targeting with the use of a Head-Up Display (HUD) (through the integrated ballistic computer) and imaging with the use of a TOPLITE head monitor