US broadens FOD options

摘要

The Rheinmetall Defence DEB-RA automated foreign object debris (FOD) detection system is now eligible for procurement in the United States under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). As about 60% of DEB-RA components are made in the United States, and final assembly is carried out in the country, the system meets the 'Buy American' stipulations which govern procurement under the AIP. Rheinmetall stated that DEB-RA employs millimetre-wave (MMW) radar and high-resolution electro-optic sensors to detect and locate FOD on runways in real time, "with a very low error rate". It added that DEB-RA could also be used as an Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS), either in a standalone installation or to supplement existing technology for ground surveillance of aircraft and vehicles.