Cobham awarded US Army Apache OBIGGS contract
Cobham has announced that it has been awarded a contract to supply On-Board Inert Gas Generating System (OBIGGS) Nitrogen Inert Units (NIU) for US Army AH-64 Apache helicopters. The five year Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract is valued at approximately $15 million.
Under the contract, Cobham is providing a new configuration of NIU that will ‘increase safety, improve supportability, and extend sustainment for another 30 years’.
According to Cobham, the OBIGGS fulfils a critical aircraft safety system role by displacing fuel tank vapours with inert nitrogen gas, reducing the risk of explosion.
Kelly Coffield, president of Cobham Life Support, said: ‘Cobham’s proven fuel tank inerting experience on military combat helicopter programs provides our warfighters with added protection while performing their missions in a high threat environment. In 1985 Cobham pioneered the first OBIGGS application on the US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter and we continue to enhance our products with the latest technology.’
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