AH-1W BALLISTIC TOLERANCE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

The problem - The AH-1W requires additional armor protection to improve the aircraft and aircrew ballistic tolerance. Foster-Miller proposes to develop a solution to this problem through an analysis of three interconnected variables which will result in an AH-1W ballistic tolerance system. The three interconnected variables are: The projected threat to the airframe/aircrew as well as the vulnerability of the airframe. The materials available to increase the AH-1W's ballistic tolerance. The attachment technique to be used to apply the selected material to the aircraft. To this end, Foster-Miller proposes a two-part Phase I effort with the principal goals of: Part 1 - Analysis of (a) vulnerability; (b) ballistic materials; (c) attachment/integration techniques. Part 2 0 Demonstration of (a) ballistic performance and (b) mock-up kit installation. Please note that one of the integration techniques that will be evaluated is a patented system known as LAST Armor - U.S. Patent No. 4,928,575 which has been certified for flight safety by U.S. Army AVSCOM.