Smith Myers to demo ARTEMIS in Arctic catastrophe exercise
Above:
Smith Myers ARTEMIS detect and find technology is deployed by the Royal Norwegian Airforce on Search and Rescue duties with the Leonardo AW101 SAR Queen for service throughout Norway.
Courtesy Smith Myers
Smith Myers is a member of the ARCSAR (Arctic Security and Emergency Preparedness Network) and will be working with its international network partners on the exercise.
Showcasing a range of SAR platforms including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, the disaster and resilience planning exercise LIVEX led by ARCSAR, will take place 28th August - 1st September outside of Svalbard, northern Norway. The PolarQuest expedition ship M/S Quest will embark on a cruise along the west side of Spitsbergen with 50 passengers and a crew of 25 people. The exercise will also take place in the waters outside of Longyearbyen.
According to Peter Myers, director at Smith Myers, who will be one of the passengers on the M/S Quest: “This exercise is exactly the environment ARTEMIS was designed for, the system employed by the Royal Norwegian Airforce for Search and Rescue duties with the Leonardo AW101 SAR Queen bears testament to our commitment to the region that experiences significant communications challenges. ARTEMIS can Detect, Locate and Communicate with phones even when there is no local cellular network coverage.
“The opportunity to not only demonstrate but share best practice with the spectrum of ARCSAR network partners, is an important part of the programme and we are committed to providing our game-changing technology globally.”
The idea behind the project is that cooperation is even more important in the face of security threats resulting from increased commercial activity in the region including ship traffic and offshore oil and gas activity. We share best practices and develop new practices within preparedness and safety at sea.
"During the exercise, we will also be testing out new technology in demanding Arctic environments. For example, we will be searching for missing persons by turning their mobile phone into a distress beacon, which is challenging in the High North with regards to local communications coverage," explained Network partner Kevin Fitzgibbon, leader of HALPIN Centre for Research & Innovation, National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI).
ARTEMIS turns any mobile phone into a rescue beacon, only requiring two small antennas to generate a latitude/longitude fix at ranges in excess of 30Km, offering a radical and effective alternative to traditional airborne sensors and direction-finding systems:
- Texting and calls in no service areas
- Automatic cueing of EO/IR (Electro -Optical/Infra-Red)
- Deployment as a stand-alone with embedded mapping or integrated with leading mission system providers
- Making missions in low light/ IMC (Instrument Meteorological Conditions) safer and increasing the odds for a positive outcome
- Available in several SWaP configurations for manned/unmanned platforms
The project is led by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Northern Norway and the project consortium is comprised of 20 partners, including Smith Myers, from 12 countries.
The exercise activity on Svalbard is organized by the Icelandic Coast Guard, while the Norwegian Coast Guard and the Norwegian Air Force will be responsible for the evacuation with a ship and a SAR Queen-helicopter.
Other participants are the Governor of Svalbard, The Norwegian Coastal Administration, and the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO).
ARTEMIS has been in active service saving lives around the world and this year Smith Myers celebrates its 35th anniversary. The global customer base includes deployment with the Royal Norwegian Airforce for Search and Rescue duties with the Leonardo AW101 SAR Queen for service throughout Norway and has received many international awards, including the coveted Royal Aeronautical Society Silver medal. Current area of interest includes Western and Eastern Europe, North America and Asia Pacific.
