Cobham has been awarded a five-year Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract valued at some $15 million to supply On-Board Inert Gas Generating System (OBIGGS) Nitrogen Inert Units for US Army AH-64 Apache helicopters.

Cobham is providing a new configuration of Nitrogen Inert Unit (NIU) that will increase safety, improve supportability, and extend sustainment for another 30 years. This award was announced by the US Defense Logistics Agency – Redstone Arsenal on 4 September 2012.

The OBIGGS fulfils a critical aircraft safety system role by displacing fuel tank vapors with inert nitrogen gas, reducing the risk of explosion. Work will take place at Cobham Life Support’s Center of Excellence in Davenport, Iowa.

“Cobham’s proven fuel tank inerting experience on military combat helicopter programs provides our warfighters with added protection while performing their missions in a high threat environment.” said Kelly Coffield, president of Cobham Life Support. “In 1985 Cobham pioneered the first OBIGGS application on the US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter and we continue to enhance our products with the latest technology.”

More than 1,500 Apache helicopters with Cobham NIUs have been delivered worldwide. The Group remains the world-wide leader in military OBIGGS providing solutions since 1985 on more than 2,400 aircraft flying today, ranging from military helicopters, military transport aircraft like the C-17 Globemaster, to regional and commercial platforms such as Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Cobham OBIGGS systems have logged more than five million flight hours total experience including 12 international customers. The Group can tailor the modular range of proven OBIGGS to fit a wide range of applications.

About Cobham
Cobham specializes in meeting the demand for data, connectivity and bandwidth in defense, security and commercial environments. Offering a technically diverse and innovative range of technologies and services, the Group protects lives and livelihoods, responding to customer needs with agility that differentiates it. Employing more than 10,000 people on five continents, the Group has customers and partners in over 100 countries.

About Cobham Life Support
Cobham Life Support specializes in life support and personal survival equipment systems including oxygen systems for aviators and astronauts, crew restraints, flotation gear and crew and cargo release mechanisms. Manufacturing personal and on-board systems, Cobham Life Support provides military helicopter pilots and US armored vehicle crews with liquid-cooled vests to increase endurance in the heat of battle, protects aircraft fuel tanks against fire on military and commercial aircraft and generates on-board oxygen on more than 3,800 military aircraft, to reduce aircraft reliance on bottled systems. The Cobham Life Support cryogenic cooling systems enable infrared electro-optical equipment in missile seekers, targeting systems, aircraft defensive countermeasure systems, and night vision equipment.