As we look back to size the state of our business, our industry, and this year, maybe our world, it seems far to easy to pile on to 2020 like every other analyst has done and is doing.
Yes, OK, there was a pandemic. Yes the worldwide economy slowed down, and there has been some turmoil in global markets. Many of us have suffered, and continue to suffer through uncertainty, doubt, loss and financial hardship. Existential threats to our businesses and our growth came out of nowhere. The best laid plans of mice and men have been derailed by a reality no one saw coming. Back when the challenge of the pandemic first became clear however, CPI was lucky to recognize that accepting it and getting in front of it was our primary job and that no amount of disbelief or complaining would add anything to our bottom line. It was our deliberate intention to reject the panic and fear going on in some markets and proceed with cool heads, stubbornly refusing to overreact to news and pronouncements, choosing to believe that only a real belief in our collective future, would get us to that collective future. As such, our team powered through, personally, professionally, and economically. In every challenge is an opportunity. We found our pandemic opportunities in the development of new markets and new applications for our products. We initiated significant redesign efforts that cost reduced our products while retaining their quality. We invested in new tools and machines that made manufacturing cheaper and more flexible, while retaining our “Made in USA” business philosophy. We kept our factory humming, our workers safe and informed, and we stayed open. We reassured our customers that we weren’t going anywhere, delivered on our commitments, and generally kept our heads while others were clearly losing theirs. We’re not out of this thing yet. But we’re going to be, soon enough. The economy hasn’t collapsed, the market is soaring, a vaccine is making its way around the world and there is pent up demand sitting out there like the world hasn’t seen in our lifetimes. It’s our intention to get in front of that too. Here at CPI we’re glad to say goodbye to 2020 like everyone else. But it made us rediscover who we are as a company and what we are capable of when we all choose to believe our future. A very Happy New Year to you and Your Family from the team at CPI. Originally posted: https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/2020-the-year-in-review/ As one of the workhorse helicopter assets of allied military’s around the world, the Chinook CH-47 and variants carry more cargo and soldiers into battle than any other flying aircraft. It is known as a “battlefield multiplier” and its importance to combat logistics cannot be overstated.
Despite this tactical importance, military analysts can also tell you that the Chinook is also one of the most vulnerable choppers in the US arsenal. In Afghanistan, more CH-47D helicopters have been shot down than any other single type of aircraft. In the words of one US Ranger, “CH-47D’s fly really high and slow with no evasive maneuvers. They’re a huge target up there, like a train coming in for a landing.” The CH-47D is but an extreme example of the risks faced by all hovering aircraft in the battlefield. It is with this challenge in mind that CPI engineers conceived of their unique battlefield defense system dubbed the CPI ARC system Active Rotating Countermeasure (ARC) System for Helicopter Defense. Unlike other RPG defense systems currently under development (Israeli Trophy, Rheinmetall ADS, etc..) the CPI ARC system utilizes a continuously rotating munitions head capable of delivering multiple non-lethal munitions into the path of oncoming rockets. Unique to the system is the turret: a continuously rotating launch platform which can house a wide variety of munitions, each customized for the same or multiple threat defeat profiles. For RPG defense the launch munitions include what is referred to as a Rocket Towed Barrier (RTB). The barrier is essentially a kevlar parachute which expands into the path of the rocket once launched. The effect of the parachute is to either deflect or explode the RPG, effectively rendering it non-lethal without the risks of damage to the aircraft or friendly forces nearby. Because the platform holds close to two dozen rounds and is continuously spinning, it can detect and launch multiple countermeasures defeating multiple threats. It should be possible to detect and defeat threats more rapidly using the ARC system. This means threat defeat further from the aircraft instead of relying on armor to protect personelle from explosions that often occur within 1 meter or less of the vehicle as in the case of the Trophy system. Existing detection systems can be tied into ARC but since it is continuously spinning, there is no need for the extreme turret movement and inertial damping required by gun based systems. Software identifies the threat vector and launches the next available countermeasure on the spinning turret. Since the parachute covers a wide surface area, there is no need to “hit a bullet with a bullet”. Nor do we worry about the fratricidal potential of shotgun type munitions, though these could be used with the ARC system as well if deemed more appropriate for certain threats in certain tactical situations. For More Information Contact CPI Today CPI is actively looking for a partner with which to license and develop this technology. Please send all inquiries to Mac Stuhler at [email protected] To read more about this patented technology please go to https://www.cpi-nj.com/rpg-defense-for-the-us-military/rpg-defense-system/ Original content posted on https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/rpg-helicopter-defense/ While CPI is certainly well known for its Waterproof Switches and Linear Position Sensors, lesser known are certain patents and intellectual property that CPI regularly develops. One of the most exciting ideas has to be CPI’s RPG Active Defense System For over a decade, military forces around the world have been looking for a system that can defeat short range missile attack. Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG’s) and other ordinance have continued to become more and more lethal to ground vehicles and helicopters, and just increasing armor is not a deterrent and carries its own set of issues. There have been systems under development for many years but problems related to current systems abound.
The CPI system consists of the Active Rotating Countermeasure (ARC) System and Rocket Towed Barrier (RTB) munition shown below. These patented system elements represent unique innovations combined with highly developed technologies which greatly improve threat neutralization, providing the most reliable and effective system for protecting both ground vehicles and for the first time, helicopters, from MANPADS of all types, while eliminating unintended damage/casualties. How the CPI Active Protection System Works The CPI Rocket Towed Barrier combines two patented parts of CPI’s RPG missile defense approach. First is the “Rocket Towed Barrier” or RTB. This is essentially a munition containing a small parachute like barrier made of Kevlar or other material which deploys behind a short range rocket which tows it into the path of the incoming threat(s). The RTB system utilizes existing technologies in novel and effective combinations. The system does not rely on future technological breakthroughs, such as airborne lasers, nor does it embody unrealistic operating requirements such as “hitting a bullet with a bullet. Second is the ARC system, a continuously rotating turret that can bring a wide variety of ordinance to bear on incoming threats, in a fraction of the time of current systems. The RTB utilizes a variety of defeat modes which include fuzing, deflection, and flight disruption. Since defeat is not based on destroying the incoming threat, probability of successful countermeasure is greatly enhanced. Barriers can be configured as simply as a Kevlar shield, or can incorporate features such as decoy IR, planar cutting charges, or percussion charges. The RTB system is non-fratricidal (no primary explosives or deadly hail of shot pellets). The system is much safer for situations involving dismounted troops or non-combatants. This presents a major advantage over other proposed systems like Trophy® and QuickKill. CPI System Licensing Currently, CPI is looking for a partner who is willing to license and develop this unique technology. If you are responsible for munitions development for any aspect of the military, we believe that this design is both cost effective to prototype and has significantly more potential than all current active protection systems. Please contact Mac Stuhler of CPI today for more information. Original content posted on https://www.cpi-nj.com/blog/cpis-active-rpg-defense-system-for-the-us-military/ |
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