US16E Ejection Seat for F-35
The System Development & Demonstration (SDD) Ejection Seat, selected by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, is a further development of the Mk16 range that has already been successful with the T-6 Texan II, Eurofighter Typhoon, NASA T-38N and USAF T-38 upgrade programmes and other numerous aircraft platforms around the world.
The US16E Ejection Seat provides an unprecedented balanced optimisation between key performance parameters such as safe terrain clearance limits, physiological loading limits, pilot boarding mass and anthropometric accommodation ranges to fully meet the F-35 Escape System requirements. The US16E will be common to all F-35 aircraft variants.
The US16E is the only Qualified Ejection Seat that meets the US Government defined Neck Injury Criteria (NIC) across the pilot accommodation range.
Martin-Baker is very proud to support the F-35 Programme; the programme will sustain approximately 700 jobs at Martin-Baker into the future, also supporting 66 sub-tier suppliers located within 20 counties spread right across the UK.
To date, Martin-Baker has delivered over 130 Ejection Seats to Lockheed Martin, with LRIP V deliveries completed in October 2013. Ejection Seats for LRIP VI and VII have been launched into manufacture. You can find more information on the JSF Programme here.
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US16E Ejection Seat for F-35
- Operating Ceiling: 65,000ft (19,812m)
- Minimum height/Speed: Zero/zero in near level attitude
- Crew boarding mass range: 63.5 to 106.0 kg
- Crew size range: French Air Force specific crew size range, 3 – 98 percentile of estimated French pilot range in year 2015
- Maximum Speed for ejection: 625 KEAS
- Parachute type: GQ Type 5000
- Parachute deployment: Cartridge initiated
- Drogue parachute: Yes
- Drogue deployment: Cartridge initiated
- Aerosurface deployment system: Yes, gas operated
- Harness type: Combined
- Ejection seat operation type: Ejection guns and underseat rocket motor, Lateral thrust rocket motor (twin seat only)
- Ejection gun: Twin
- Ejection initiation: Handle on seat bucket initiates gas operated seat firing systemAutomatic
- Automatic back-up unit: No, manual override available
- Manual sequencer: Mechanical mode selector, used in combination with barostatic time-release unit
- Barostatic time-release unit: Yes + g-restrictor, cartridge initiated
- Timers: Drogue deployment unit timer
- Seat adjustment: Up/down actuator operated 28 Vdc
- Arm restraints: Yes
- Leg restraints: Passive leg restraint system
- Oxygen supply: Connection to On Board Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS), Emergency oxygen cylinder
- NBC equipment: Nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) ventilator
- Personal survival pack (PSP): Yes + automatic deployment and liferaft inflation
- Aircrew services: Aircrew services package, interface for breathing gas, NBC ventilation supply, mic/tel and helmet-mounted display system interface
- Command ejection: Yes
- Canopy jettison: No
- Canopy fracturing system: Yes, Canopy pyrotechnic cutting system
- Interseat Sequencing System (ISS): Yes, via mode selector
US16E Ejection Seat for F-35
Featured in:
- F-35 Lightning II (All variants)
US16E Ejection Seat for F-35
- Seat firing handle pulled, centrale initiates Rigid Hermetic
- Transmission Chain (RHTC)
- Command firing initiated
- Harness power retraction unit retracts shoulder straps
- Canopy fractured by canopy pyrotechnic cutting system
- Primary cartridge fires, bottom latches engage, top latches disengage seat rises up rails
- Aircraft services disconnected
- Emergency oxygen supplied to aircrew
- Legs and arms restrained
- IFF tripped
- Secondary cartridges fire as seat rises
- Multi-purpose initiators fire
- Mechanical Mode Selector (MMS), Barostatic Time-Release Unit (BTRU) and Drogue Deployment Unit Timer (DDUT) sears tripped
- Underseat and lateral rocket motors fire
- Leg restraint lines become taut and rivets shear, freeing lines from floor brackets
- Aerodynamic surfaces deploy
- Drogue deployment unit fires after delay
- Time delays initiated for MMS and BTRU
- Manual Override (MOR) lock disengaged
Low speed, low altitude mode
- MMS senses mode, fires primary circuit
- Drogue canister deployed, pulls bridle clear
- Upper and lower bridle locks released
Intermediate mode
- MMS inhibited above 7500ft (2286m)
- Drogue stabilises and decelerates seat
High speed, low altitude mode
- MMS inhibited above 260 KEAS or 4 G
- Drogue stabilises and decelerates seat
- BTRU runs out firing primary circuit
High altitude mode
- Drogue stabilises and decelerates seat
- Emergency oxygen supply continued
- Drogue releases at barostate altitude of 16400ft (5000m)
- Headbox deployment initiated
- Upper harness locks release
- Man portion PEC release
- Arm and leg restraint lines cut
- Lower harness locks release after delay
- Parachute inflates
- Auxiliary drogue pulls headbox clear
- Personal locator beacon activated
- Personal Survival Pack (PSP) retained
- Aircrew descends on parachute
- PSP automatically lowered after delay
- Liferaft automatically inflates