Home » Santa Clarita News » Politics » Representative Steve Knight Expedites Life-Saving Jet Fighter Technology

Representative Steve Knight Expedites Life-Saving Jet Fighter Technology

Congressman Steve Knight, R-Santa Clarita, called for action to help expedite the installation of life-saving technology in fighter jets by 2019.


Sponsored Articles


Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking KHTS Santa Clarita News Alerts delivered right to your inbox.

In a press release published by the Joint Program Office for the F-35 Lightning II Joint-Strike Fighter, it was announced that the implementation of the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto-GCAS) into the F-35 fleet would occur five years ahead of schedule, a point that Congressman Steve Knight has been advocating.

“Our acquisition team is working with the warfighters to ensure Auto-GCAS is in every F-35,” said F-35 Program Executive Officer Vice Adm. Mat Winter in the press release. “Expediting this lifesaving technology into the F-35 fleet by 2019 is estimated to prevent the loss of three aircraft, and more importantly, save the lives of three pilots.”

Originally set for installation in 2024, the Auto-GCAS uses GPS tracking, avionics integration and terrain information to detect incoming collisions, according to officials.

If the system detects an impending collision with the surface, officials say that the computer will assume temporary control of the aircraft to execute evasive maneuvers, delivering control back to the pilot after returning to a safe flight path.

Congressman Knight has been advocating for such expedition. If this tech works and is available now, it only makes sense to ensure our next-generation aircraft are equipped with it, according to Knight.

The F-35 fleet is currently equipped with an earlier version of the software that provides pilots with a Manual Ground Collision Avoidance System (MGCAS), said officials.

“With this system, a pilot must be able to hear, see, process, and heed the MGCAS warning, and manually fly the aircraft away from the ground,” the Joint Program Office said in the press release. “If a pilot becomes disoriented or incapacitated, he or she may not be able to respond to MGCAS warnings, and their chances of survival severely deteriorate.”

As Santa Clarita’s only local radio station, KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and sign up for KHTS email and text alerts today!

KHTS AM 1220 - Santa Clarita Radio

Representative Steve Knight Expedites Life-Saving Jet Fighter Technology

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Michael Brown

Michael Brown has lived in Santa Clarita his whole life. Graduating from Saugus High School in 2016, he continued to stay local by attending The Master’s University, where he achieved a Bachelor's Degree in Communication. Michael joined KHTS in January of 2018 as a news intern, and has since gone on to become the News Director for the KHTS Newsroom. Since joining KHTS, Michael has covered many breaking news stories (both on scene and on air), interviewed dozens of prominent state and federal political figures, and interacted with hundreds of residents from Santa Clarita. When he is not working, Michael enjoys spending time with his family, as well as reading any comic book he can get his hands on.