CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 22 (UPI) -- A system used by ground troops to identify the origin of hostile fire has been adapted for use on helicopters by Raytheon BBN Technologies.
The company said the use of such shooter detection technology on helicopters had been hampered in the past because of the heavy vibration of helicopter flight and extreme noise.
Raytheon BBN's Boomerang system, however, has overcome the problems by incorporating the company's computer-based signal processing -- adapted for the rotary environment -- and auditory and visual indications to detect and report relative shooter azimuth and elevation information.
"Helicopters are inherently vulnerable [to hostile ground fire], but they also have the ability to maneuver quickly and aggressively when fire is detected," said David Schmitt, director of Boomerang Products at Raytheon BBN Technologies. "Boomerang Air immediately gives crews the information they need to move out of harm's way and successfully complete their mission."
The company's Boomerang shooter detection system has been used on ground vehicles, at fixed sites and in wearable applications since 2003.
