UN Orders HEMS-Star® Portable Helipad Lights for Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali

FEC Heliports Worldwide Ltd announces that its HEMS-Star® portable LED helipad lighting system has been purchased by the United Nations for the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

MINUSMA was established by the UN Security Council in April 2013 to support political processes in Mali and to carry out a number of security-related tasks. The mission focuses on duties such as ensuring security, stabilization and protection of civilians; supporting national political dialogue and reconciliation; and assisting with the re-establishment of State authority, the rebuilding of the security sector, and the promotion and protection of human rights in that country.

Currently the MINUSMA mission has a total 15,209 uniformed personnel, both military and police, from 121 countries operating in Mali. Operations occur day and night over vast, remote areas and rough terrain, with helicopters often being the only safe means of transporting personnel and resupplying UN personnel on the ground.

HEMS-Star® is a rechargeable, portable, battery-powered LED lighting system designed for such rapid deployment to provide safe and effective marking at designated or ad-hoc landing areas. Other features include:

• wireless remote or pilot VHF-activation capabilities
• NVG-compatible red, blue, green, white visible LEDs and infra-red
• programmable to show steady-on, flash warning, location beacon or Morse Code
• optional automatic sunset-switching
• full case weight only 10.6 kilograms
• rechargeable in its case via mains at 100-240V AC, vehicles at 13.5-28VDC, solar or wind power
• IP65-rated

FEC Heliports' portable lighting systems have been deployed on a global scale in the United Kingdom, USA, Russia, Bangladesh, Mozambique, Kenya, Mexico, the Philippines and Japan.

HEMS-Star® has been successfully tested for stability at the Sikorsky Development Flight Centre under the rotor wash of a CH-147 Chinook. It is FCC-certified for operation in the USA and CE-certified for the European Union. Both certifications are generally accepted worldwide.

Fraser MacKay, commercial director at FEC Heliports Worldwide, says, “We are delighted to supply the HEMS-Star® portable helipad lighting system to the United Nations to help them to operate safely in their stabilization mission in Mali.”