Integrated Consultants Incorporated (ICI) has achieved a groundbreaking feat in naval aviation with the development of a first of its kind tablet mount to enhance capabilities for the CH-53E Super Stallion heavy lift helicopter.
The Informant Mount allows pilots to rapidly mount and dismount their Marine Air-Ground Tablet devices (MAGTAB), provides easy exchange with legacy Smart Multi-Function Color Displays (SMFCD) as well as continuous charging capabilities. It also allows for the first ever integration with a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) tablet which replaced the primary mission display for the very first time.
The unique engineering behind the Informant Mount allows for use of the tablet as a kneeboard or as an instrument panel mission display.
The one-of-a-kind mount was developed in conjunction with PMA-261, the CH-53 Heavy Lift Helicopters Program Office, and the project replaces two instrument panel-mounted SMFCDs.
“This is a huge step toward open architecture, innovative solutions to mission-data presentation,” said PMA-261’s In-Service Avionics Systems Project Officer LCDR Neil Whitesell, according to thebaynet.com. “We did it at low cost, fast, and we provided a major capability improvement to the warfighter.”
The Informant Mount upgrade allows the same MAGTAB to be used both in and out of the cockpit for everything from mission planning to mission debrief.
For more information about other innovative engineering projects from ICI, please visit www.integratedconsultants.com.
