R4 A – Airborne AIS Transponder

Written by LP | 25 August 2010

The AIS technology is not only for maritime vessels. It can also be used onboard aircraft. But then, the equipment needs to be airworthy. Saab's R4 A – Airborne AIS Transponder can be used for sea surveillance, search and rescue and other marine avionics applications.

Saab’s 4th generation AIS technology utilizing software defined radio. The R4A is software upgradeable to Secure functionality.

Includes RAIM and internal DGPS navigation capability.

The R4A significantly improves the situational awareness in Search and Rescue (SAR) and surveillance operations, and it is also an efficient tool for fleet management. More than 300 units supplied.

The R4 A can be installed either as a stand-alone unit or integrated with other on-board systems such as mission-management systems or digital-map generators. It is suitable for installation in a variety of aeroplanes and helicopters.

Standard features

• Selectable level of AIS participation (autonomous transmission, user-initiated transmission or receive only)
• ARINC 429 interface for TSO approved GPS
• Easy configuration and status check by Windows-based configuration software
• Fully qualified to RTCA DO-160D (environmental conditions) and to RTCA DO-178B (software considerations)