GPS guided parachute - jeez everythings being made smart

NATICK, Mass. -- Precision-guided munitions have successfully pinpointed aerial bombings for years, and the same idea is being researched for airdropping supplies and equipment. One system identified and tested by the Airdrop Technology Team at the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center here could soon vastly improve the way the military drops extra-light loads of supplies.

The Sherpa Autonomous Parafoil Delivery System developed by Mist Mobility Integrated Systems Technology (MMIST) Inc. in Ontario, Canada, is a commercial off-the-shelf item that enables servicemembers on land to get what they need almost exactly where they want it.

"When you drop a dumb parachute system from high altitudes, it can drift away and you may not find it quickly," said Jaclyn McHugh, project officer for the Sherpa. "The Special Forces say this system is amazing. They've had to hike between 1-3 kilometers to find their supplies with current airdrop systems."


www.natick.army.mil...



www.defensetech.org...

GPS comes to the rescue once again.

GPS Parachute eh? that'll do a great job of giving away special forces units position...

It's got nothing to do with SF, they are cargo parachutes. They allow a plane to fly high enough that it is out of range of small calibre weapons ie AK-47. They have already been used to airdrop supplies into Iraq.

"The Special Forces say this system is amazing. They've had to hike between 1-3 kilometers to find their supplies with current airdrop systems."

this is from your post...

please elaborate if this is nothing to do with special forces although they themselves can give an opinion on this being "amazing" saving time to hike 1-3km to get to supplies...

purhaps I am reading something wrong here..

Sorry, I completely misunderstood what you were saying it's 2:30am here, very tired; I thought you meant that the SF used themselves to parachute. Obviously you didn't, my apologies.

I guess they would drop parachute supplies to the SF at night, if they didn't want to be compromised.

[edit on 19-9-2004 by mad scientist]

no worries, must admit, night drop didn't click with me and its 5:40pm here.. I have no excuse..

soundz like a good bit of kit though...

Originally posted by Klepto
GPS Parachute eh? that'll do a great job of giving away special forces units position...

Wrong GPS receiver is receiver, it doesn't transmit... and I think they're not going to add radio beacon to it.

With or without GPS, those drops can be seen at day so supplies still have to be dropped at night.

Originally posted by E_T

Originally posted by Klepto
GPS Parachute eh? that'll do a great job of giving away special forces units position...

Wrong GPS receiver is receiver, it doesn't transmit... and I think they're not going to add radio beacon to it.

With or without GPS, those drops can be seen at day so supplies still have to be dropped at night.

I think he was making the point about the parachutes giving away the postion of the SF not any signals from the unit itself.

correctumundo!

I would think if anything it would be safer if the supplies are dropped to where the SF soldiers are, rather than them hiking to the supplies. I would think that if they have to locate and then travel to the supplies it would give the bad guys time to bobby trap the stuff or setup an ambush??