17 July 2006 – Farnborough , UK - Smiths Aerospace has been selected to demonstrate its Health Usage & Monitoring System (HUMS) on the U.S. Army's Special Operations MH-47G Chinook. This contract follows an earlier selection for the MH-47E where Smiths delivered a Maintenance Analysis Safety and Training system. The flight demonstration for HUMS will be complete in September 2007. The HUMS are designed and manufactured at Smiths' facility in Michigan and Southampton , UK .

The HUMS monitors the health of critical aircraft systems such as engines, transmissions, bearings and rotors through real time analysis. The results of the analyses are stored in the aircraft in a removable memory cartridge for subsequent transfer to a ground station. The health data gathered aids maintenance personnel in determining and isolating premature deterioration of these critical components. The system continuously checks the performance of safety-critical components, providing advance warning of potential equipment failures and collecting valuable data for routine maintenance of the helicopters.

Smiths' also provides the Army 160 th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) the new light weight, crash survivable Voice and Data Recorder VADR ® which meets the latest survivability requirements of EUROCAE ED-112. The K model VADR ® is the most capable and reliable solid state recorder on the market today, providing the Services with critical information on aircraft incident, mishaps and daily maintenance operations. Smiths' Voice and Data Recorder Systems are installed on more than 8000 air vehicles around the world including rotorcraft, fighters, military transports and civil transport aircraft.

Smiths Aerospace, a part of Smiths Group, is a leading transatlantic aerospace systems and equipment company, with more than 11,000 employees and $2 billion revenues globally. The company holds key positions in the supply chains of all major military and civil aircraft and engine manufacturers and is a world-leader in digital, electrical power, mechanical systems, engine components and Systems Customer Services. www.geaviationsystems.com

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