Digital Angel, a technology company in the field of animal identification and emergency identification solutions, announced its SARBE unit has delivered the first new generation Personal Locator Beacons to BAE Systems Flight Operations. This new device is the SARBE Advanced Aircrew Personal Locator Beacon (AAPLB) and is the same as that specified by the UK Ministry of Defense.
Digital Angel, a technology company in the field of animal identification and emergency identification solutions, announced its SARBE unit has delivered the first new generation Personal Locator Beacons to BAE Systems Flight Operations. This new device is the SARBE Advanced Aircrew Personal Locator Beacon (AAPLB) and is the same as that specified by the UK Ministry of Defense.
"BAE Systems has been a loyal SARBE customer for many years. We are pleased to be supplying it with the latest generation beacons that will be in service for many years to come,” said Joseph J. Grillo, CEO of Digital Angel.
The beacons are to be used by BAE Systems' air crew who work within Military Air Solutions, as well as by visiting aircrew from the U.K. and overseas. The AAPLB will form an essential part of the standard survival equipment to be used in the event of having to abandon a stricken aircraft. In an emergency the AAPLB is activated to transmit a distress message containing the exact GPS coordinates and identity of the survivor. The distress signal is received by the Search And Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking (COSPAS-SARSAT) global satellite network which then alerts the rescue authorities.
Aircraft that the AAPLB will be carried on include Typhoon, Tornado and Hawk. BAE Systems has a long history of using SARBE Personal Locator Beacons and the AAPLB will be replacing equipment rendered obsolete due to satellite monitoring changes.