A fly-off between airborne laser mine-detection systems is planned by the US Navy later this year. Kaman's Magic Lantern will be evaluated against the ATD-111 system developed by Lockheed Martin company Sanders, for deployment on Navy Sikorsky SH-60s.
The Magic Lantern is already operational, providing an interim laser-based minehunting capability on US Navy Reserve Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite shipborne helicopters. Kaman says that six aircraft have been equipped to carry the Magic Lantern pod, and the company is under contract to integrate the system on the SH-60B/R.
The US Marine Corps has evaluated a modified version which can be used to detect mines in shallow water and through surf.
Sanders completed Navy-sponsored tests of its system in June, using an SH-60B. "The real-time mine detection and classification results were encouraging," says ATD-111 business-development manager Jim Fransiscovich.
Source: Flight International