Advanced Runway Lighting Technology for Portable Applications

There is a need to develop a testbed for exploring the feasibility of deploying a covert runway lighting system to be viewed by transport pilots flying with night vision equipment. For such a system to be economically viable, it must be built off of anLED-based, generator-driven portable airfield lighting system in a configuration that is similar to the current Emergency Airfield Lighting System (EALS). The purpose of this program is to develop FAA VFR compliant LED-based portable runway lightingfixtures and to then develop conversion/integration kits for this fixtures as an implementation of a switchable covert capability. The deliverable for this program is an R&D testbed to be used in human factors testing of the viability of fielding a covertairfield lighting system. The testbed will include 85% of the lighting fixtures found in the EALS 5,000 ft configuration and the cabling and electric equipment needed to power the deployed testbed using a 5kW tactical generator in a plug-and-play system.This system can also provide the basis for an LED-based noncovert portable runway lighting system that is considerably smaller and lighter than the current system due to the approximately 80% reduction in the power needed.