Mk18 - US18E
Ejection Seat
for F-16
Competitively selected by Lockheed Martin
Commonality with the US16E in the F-35 JSF
Mk18 - US18E
Ejection Seat
for F-16
Competitively selected by Lockheed Martin
Commonality with the US16E in the F-35 JSF
Lockheed Martin selected the US18E Ejection Seat for the F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft in November 2020 to replace the legacy seat. The US18E is entirely based on the US16E that is installed in the Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft with over 1100 seats manufactured and 7 lives saved to date.
Following qualification in 2023, the US18E will provide the following advantages over the legacy seat:
- Wider nude weight range from 103lbs to 245lbs;
- Wider accommodation range from the CAESAR multivariate Case 1 to the 95%ile – making it Gender neutral;
- Safe ejection for aircrew equipped with a Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) across the size and speed ranges;
- The Martin-Baker Electronic sequencer is fitted together with a mechanical automatic backup unit for redundancy;
- The modular seat design will reduce the need for canopy removals, significantly reducing operator maintenance hours;
- Commonality of parts, support equipment and procedures with the F-35/US16E ensuring logistic support for many decades to come;
- Martin-Baker manufactures its own CAD/PAD with shorter lead times than operators currently experience for the legacy seat.
US18E Ejection Seat for F-16
- Operating Ceiling: 55,000ft (16,768m)
- Minimum height/Speed: Zero/zero in near level attitude
- Crew boarding mass range: 103 to 245lb (46.7kg to 111.1kg) (nude) light crew switch fitted with mass boundary set at 150lbs (68kg)
- Crew size range: CAESAR Case 1-95th percentile range
- Maximum Speed for ejection: 600 KEAS
- Parachute type: IGQ Type 6000 aeroconical 4-colour
- Parachute deployment: Cartridge initiated
- Drogue parachute: Yes
- Drogue deployment: Cartridge initiated
- Harness type: MG5 Integrated
- Ejection seat operation type: Catapult and underseat rocket motor
- Ejection gun: Twin catapult
- Ejection initiation: Handle on seat bucket initiates gas operated seat firing system
- Automatic back-up unit: Yes, mechanical system with barostatic time-release
- Electronic sequencer: Martin-Baker Sequencer (MBS) 23,500/18,000ft altitude switch, powered by thermal batteries
- Timers: Time delays imposed by sequencer and ABU
- Seat adjustment: Up/down actuator operated 115 Vdc with 6″ (15.24cm) stroke
- Arm restraints: Yes, active system Type II
- Leg restraints: Yes, passive system
- Oxygen supply: Bottled back-up/emergency oxygen supply, 50 cu.in to 150 cu.in cylinders can be fitted
- Seat Survival Kit (SSK): Yes + automatic deployment and liferaft inflation
- Aircrew services: Connection to CRU-120/P and interface to helmet
- Canopy jettison: Yes
- Canopy fracturing system: No
- Interseat Sequencing System (ISS): N/A
- Auto eject system: No
Lockheed Martin selected the US18E Ejection Seat for the F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft in November 2020 to replace the legacy seat. The US18E is entirely based on the US16E that is installed in the Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft with over 1100 seats manufactured and 7 lives saved to date.
Following qualification in 2023, the US18E will provide the following advantages over the legacy seat:
- Wider nude weight range from 103lbs to 245lbs;
- Wider accommodation range from the CAESAR multivariate Case 1 to the 95%ile – making it Gender neutral;
- Safe ejection for aircrew equipped with a Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) across the size and speed ranges;
- The Martin-Baker Electronic sequencer is fitted together with a mechanical automatic backup unit for redundancy;
- The modular seat design will reduce the need for canopy removals, significantly reducing operator maintenance hours;
- Commonality of parts, support equipment and procedures with the F-35/US16E ensuring logistic support for many decades to come;
- Martin-Baker manufactures its own CAD/PAD with shorter lead times than operators currently experience for the legacy seat.
US18E Ejection Seat for F-16
- Operating Ceiling: 55,000ft (16,768m)
- Minimum height/Speed: Zero/zero in near level attitude
- Crew boarding mass range: 103 to 245lb (46.7kg to 111.1kg) (nude) light crew switch fitted with mass boundary set at 150lbs (68kg)
- Crew size range: CAESAR Case 1-95th percentile range
- Maximum Speed for ejection: 600 KEAS
- Parachute type: IGQ Type 6000 aeroconical 4-colour
- Parachute deployment: Cartridge initiated
- Drogue parachute: Yes
- Drogue deployment: Cartridge initiated
- Harness type: MG5 Integrated
- Ejection seat operation type: Catapult and underseat rocket motor
- Ejection gun: Twin catapult
- Ejection initiation: Handle on seat bucket initiates gas operated seat firing system
- Automatic back-up unit: Yes, mechanical system with barostatic time-release
- Electronic sequencer: Martin-Baker Sequencer (MBS) 23,500/18,000ft altitude switch, powered by thermal batteries
- Timers: Time delays imposed by sequencer and ABU
- Seat adjustment: Up/down actuator operated 115 Vdc with 6″ (15.24cm) stroke
- Arm restraints: Yes, active system Type II
- Leg restraints: Yes, passive system
- Oxygen supply: Bottled back-up/emergency oxygen supply, 50 cu.in to 150 cu.in cylinders can be fitted
- Seat Survival Kit (SSK): Yes + automatic deployment and liferaft inflation
- Aircrew services: Connection to CRU-120/P and interface to helmet
- Canopy jettison: Yes
- Canopy fracturing system: No
- Interseat Sequencing System (ISS): N/A
- Auto eject system: No