Martin-Baker was awarded the NACES contract by the US Navy in May 1985. The intent of the programme was to develop a high performance, high technology ejection seat which would integrate with several aircraft types, thus providing a significant commonality benefit for the customer. The first production standard NACES flew in an F-14D in February 1990, and since then almost 2000 seats have been delivered to the US Navy, most of which are now in service. Deliveries continue at a regular rate each month to support overseas sales of the F-18 and the new variant of super Hornet.

Specifications	NACES - F/A18C F/A18D
Operating ceiling	50 000 ft (15,250 m)
Minimum height/speed	Zero/zero in near level attitude
Crew boarding mass range	NACES original - 79.1 to 117.4 kg
	NACES P3I - 62.7 to 131.7
Crew size range	NACES original - 3rd to 98th percentile
	NACES P3I - JPATS muti-variate body size
	cases 1 to 7
Maximum Speed for ejection	600 KIAS
Parachute type	GQ Type 5000
Parachute deployment	Rocket assisted
Drogue parachute type	57 in. (1.45 m) ribbon drogue
Drogue deployment	Drogue deployment catapult. Powered by
	cartridge generated gas. Initiated by electrical
	signal from sequencer
Harness type	Torso
Ejection seat operation type	Ejection gun and multi-tube rocket pack
	incorporating lateral thrust rocket motor
Ejection gun	Single with secondary cartridge
Ejection initiation	Handle on seat bucket initiates gas operated seat
	firing system
Automatic back-up unit	(ABU) provides backup in the event
	of sequencer failure
Manual override handle	Yes
Timers	Yes
Seat adjustment	Up/down Actuator operated 28 Vdc
Arm restraints	No
Leg restraints	Yes, four garters
Oxygen supply	Bottled emergency oxygen (attached to survival pack)
Personal survival pack	Yes
Aircrew services	Connection to main oxygen supply, mic/tel,
	anti-g supply, vent air.
Command ejection	Yes
Canopy jettison	No
Miniature detonating cord	Yes

- Seat firing handle pulled/command ejection initiated
- Harness retraction unit operated
- Canopy jettisons/fractures
- Thermal batteries activate
- Catapult initiates
- Ballistic latches close, retaining multi-purpose initiator lanyard end fittings
- Seat moves up rails, top latch released, secondary cartridge fires when uncovered
- Emergency oxygen activates
- Radio beacon activates
- Command system quick-disconnect and seat services disconnect
- Legs restrained, leg lines disconnected from aircraft
- Multi-purpose initiators operate firing mechanisms
     - Start switches close, electronic sequencer timing commences
     - Barostatic release unit (BTRU) initiated
     - Pitot heads deploy
     - Underseat rocket motor fires

- Drogue deployment catapult fires, deploying drogue
- Low speed, low altitude
     - Drogue released
     - Parachute deployment rocket fires

- Medium and high speed, low altitude/all speeds, medium altitude
     - Drogue stabilising and retarding seat
     - Parachute deployment rocket fires
     - Drogue released
       All speeds, high altitude
     - Drogue stabilising and retarding seat
     - At pre-determined altitude, drogue is released and parachute deployment rocket fires
- (BTRU operates to provide backup if sequencer fails, manual override also available)
- Harness to seat connections release
- Parachute inflates, lifts aircrew and survival kit from seat and pulls sticker clips from clips causing aircrew and seat to diverge
- Parachute deployment rocket clears area
- Aircrew descends on parachute, survival kit retained
- Manual deployment of survival pack during descent if required
     - Falling to end of dropline causes automatic inflation of liferaft
- Survival kit retained until water entry
     - Manual initiation of liferaft inflation

No variants available