US Military expand use of PSI's Precision Airdrop System

Planning Systems Incorporated (PSI), a QinetiQ subsidiary and a leading network centric technology development company, has been awarded a new $10M contract from the US Army's Natick Soldier Center for PSI's Precision Airdrop System (PADSâ„¢) equipment and related systems engineering support.

PSI's PADS products support the USA/USAF Joint PADS (JPADS) programme as the JPADS Mission Planner (JPADS-MP). The JPADS programme enables aircrews to deliver cargo and personnel from high altitude with increased standoff distance and greater precision than is possible using conventional methods. The combination of altitude and standoff distance provides a safety buffer for the aircrew from the ground threat envelope while precision delivery allows ground personnel to retrieve supplies in greater safety. JPADS-MP (PADS) delivers the pre-flight and onboard mission planning tools necessary to operate from high altitude and achieve high impact point accuracy for both ballistic and guided air delivery systems.

"We are excited that the initially deployed PADS systems have helped troops in the field," stated Dr Alan Friedman, CEO and President of PSI. "This new effort will allow us to continue improvements to the PADS system, as well as deliver additional equipment for immediate testing and use.�

The JPADS-MP system is currently being actively used in Afghanistan and Iraq by the US Air Mobility Command (AMC), the Marine Corps (USMC) and US Special Forces (SOF) on C-130, C-17 and SOF aircraft.