Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (Forsvarsmateriell, FMA) has signed a contract with Austrian company AMST for a new control and monitoring system for the Norwegian Armed Forces' hypobaric chamber at the Aeromedical Institute (Flymedisinsk institutt). The upgrade is intended to ensure continued operation of the facility, which is used for aeromedical training of pilots and special operations forces, among others.
– There is a very limited supplier market for this type of control and monitoring system. It is therefore pleasing that we can now deliver a very good solution to the Aeromedical Institute (Flymedisinsk institutt) at a cost of approximately half the project budget, says Tomas Beck, Head of Land and Joint Capabilities at Forsvarsmateriell, in the agency's press release.
According to the Aeromedical Institute, the upgrade is necessary because several components of the current system are based on technology that is no longer supported or can be maintained.
The hypobaric chamber is the only one of its kind in Norway and is used to simulate high-altitude exposure and sudden cabin pressure loss in aircraft. According to FMA, the chamber helps aircrew learn to recognise their individual symptoms of oxygen deficiency under controlled conditions. Norwegian special operations forces also use the facility ahead of high-altitude parachute jumps. The training is conducted in accordance with NATO requirements and is repeated regularly throughout a service career.
– We know that the human body tolerates high-altitude exposure poorly. If cabin pressure is lost at altitude, it can take very little time before the brain receives insufficient oxygen to function normally. In such situations, it is critical to recognise the early symptoms and act quickly, says Nils Henrik Holmedahl of the Aeromedical Institute.
The current control system was installed in 2006 and will now be replaced with modern technology that, according to FMA, provides improved control, monitoring, and medical follow-up during training.