Halon 1211 Alternative Systems Testing for Flight Decks: Report of Jet Engine Fire Testing

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Halon 1211 Alternative Systems Testing for Flight Decks: Report of Jet Engine Fire Testing

H. L. Bowman / R. A. Davidson / R. L. Darwin / B. D. Strehlen / M. J. Peatross

Personnel at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD), China Lake, California, in conjunction with Hughes Associates, Inc. (HAI), have been conducting an evaluation for the replacement of Halon 1211 systems on U.S. Navy aircraft carrier flight decks and hangar bays. As such, an effort began in 1996 to provide an overall assessment. This endeavor entailed four phases: (1) an alternative development status, (2) a requirements review, (3) a mission critical reserve evaluation, and (4) a replacement program plan. The effort described herein pertains to the fourth stage. (U) To evaluate potential Halon 1211 replacement systems for flight deck use, a program was established to identify the threats from engine fires and determine suitable alternatives. A systems engineering approach was adopted in which understanding the fire threats and extinguishing requirements before recommending a replacement for Halon 1211 in naval aviation applications was critical. This approach required the use of a realistic test scenario that adequately simulated the small two- and three-dimensional engine and fires encountered in the field. This program focused on internal engine and nacelle fires. (U) This report provides a summary of the work completed for the internal engine and the nacelle fire series, a description of this testing, and a discussion of the results. Also included are the authors' conclusions and recommendations, as well as the future direction for the program.