Insight
AEROSTAT DID YOU KNOW? AEROSTATS HAVE BEEN USED BY DIFFERENT AGENCIES AROUND THE WORLD SINCE THE 1980S FOR FUNCTIONS SUCH AS EARLY WARNING AND RADIO RE-BROADCAST
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS T
he aerostat is a tethered balloon system that will complement the SAF’s suite of sensors to identify potential aerial and maritime threats early for timely and decisive response to safeguard Singapore’s peace and security. With round the clock low-level radar coverage, it will be deployed sufficiently high enough so as to have a clear line of sight over Singapore’s air and sea space.
RANGE: UP TO 200KM OPERATING HEIGHT: 600M OPERATING DURATION: CAPABLE OF 24HOURS DAILY LENGTH: 55M HULL VOLUME: AROUND 8,500M3 AIR TYPE: HELIUM
The aerostat will be secured to the ground mooring station through winch lines and a Kevlar tether built to withstand strong winds and lightning strikes. The radiation level emitted by the radar equipment on the aerostat will be as safe as that of mobile phones, and has been certified in accordance with the IEEE C95.1-2005 standard — the same standard applied to certify the safety of mobile phones and microwave ovens. The RSAF put in place strong safety procedures that are in line with regulations developed by the US Federal Aviation Authority for the operations of the aerostat system. The RSAF has also been working with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore to plan the safe operation of the system in Singapore’s congested airspace, and safety procedures such as issuing Noticeto-Airmen to inform aviators of the aerostat’s presence. Lightning protection certified to the Society of Automotive Engineer Aerospace Recommended Practice 5412A standards, operating procedures and emergency-handling procedures have also been put in place to ensure the safety of the aerostat system’s operations.
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