US Army and Air Force Deploy Solar Airfield Lights
Flash Technology supplies military lighting solutions for airfields all over the world and is a primary supplier of solar-powered LED technology to the US Air Force and US Army for permanent and temporary airfield lighting applications. Already specified as a source supplier of solar-powered LED lighting solutions to the US Navy, US Army Corps of Engineers and the US Coast Guard, the US Air Force is now using our solar aviation lights for taxiway edge lighting, obstruction lighting, apron lighting, barricade lighting and emergency lighting.
Persian Gulf Region
On April 2, we delivered 40 units within 5 days to a second Persian Gulf US Air Force base. These units are being used for permanent helipad, taxiway edge and apron edge lighting. We have received overwhelming support from its US Air Force customers, as our products continue to surpass their performance and customer service expectations.
Carmanah aviation lights are also being used at a second Persian Gulf US Air Force base, where 156 units have been installed for taxiway edge and obstruction lighting at a remote airfield.
Balad Airfield, Iraq
Originally under the control of the US Army, Balad Air Base now operates under a shared airspace with the Air Force. Together, they run a fixed-wing runway with the Army controlling a helicopter-landing zone. In January 2004, they installed the second half of the lights on Balad Airfield. This install included an additional 700 solar-powered LED aviation lights, which brought the total of Flash products to more than 1,000 solar-powered LED aviation lights for runway edge, threshold, taxiway edge, apron edge, obstruction, and helipad perimeter lighting applications. Both parties benefit from low installation costs, no infrastructure or power requirements, immediate product delivery and zero operating costs in the form of no maintenance or power requirements over a 5–8-year time frame.
The existing solar aviation lights installed on the fixed-wing portion of the Air Base have performed very well with pilots, who’ve commented that they “have been able to see them on approaches as far as 5 Nm out on a clear night.”
Elmendorf Air Base, Alaska
At Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, Flash Technology aviation ground lights have withstood the test of surviving the cold and dark Alaskan winter with temperatures dipping below -30°C (-22°F) and daily sunlight totals less than 45 minutes. More than 110 units of the Model 601 will be installed for permanent taxiway edge, apron edge and barricade lighting by the end of March 2004.
Tinker AFB, Texas
Tinker Air Force Base, the second-biggest Air Force Base in the United States, installed 60 units of the Model 601 for permanent obstruction lighting applications.
Camp Bullus, Texas
The US Army installed 44 units at Camp Bullis, Texas, for obstruction lighting on top of transmission poles.
Flash Technology has now supplied more than 5,000 units to the US Air Force and US Army at over 30 different air bases worldwide. Proven technology, expedient delivery, maintenance-free performance and low installation costs continue to benefit both Middle East operations and bases closer to home for the US Air Force and the US Army.
