New CBRN protective mask for US helicopter pilots.

The U.S. Air Force completed field testing last month of an improved chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) protective mask for crews on rotary wing aircraft.

The Joint Service Aircrew Mask – Rotary Wing replaces the Aircrew Eye and Respiratory Protection system on HH-60G Pave Hawk and UH-1N Huey helicopters (Picture source: USAF)

The Joint Service Aircrew Mask – Rotary Wing replaces the Aircrew Eye and Respiratory Protection system on HH-60G Pave Hawk and UH-1N Huey aircraft. It provides improved protection while integrating with night vision goggles and an enhanced field of view. The new mask has a removable faceplate, a battery life six times longer than the old system, a five-fold increase in fit factor, and requires no aircraft modification.

“Most importantly, it provides our warfighter added protections and combat capabilities,” said Dr. Mohamed Mughal, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s CBRN Defense Systems Branch chief engineer. “But it also highlights the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s mission to partner with organizations outside the Air Force. This joint service program required us to team with our counterparts in the Army, the Navy and the Marines to derive and balance system requirements that met all services’ mission profiles. Despite the challenges, we succeeded. System acquisition truly is a team sport.”