The System Development & Demonstration (SDD) Ejection Seat that was selected by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company is a further development of the Mk.16 range that has already been successful with the T-6 Texan II, Eurofighter Typhoon, NASA T-38N and USAF T-38 upgrade programmes and other numerous aircraft platforms around the world.

The US16E Ejection Seat provides an unprecedented balanced optimisation between key performance parameters such as safe terrain clearance limits, physiological loading limits, pilot boarding mass and anthropometric accommodation ranges to fully meet the F-35 Escape System requirements. The US16E will be common to all F-35 aircraft variants.

The US16E is the only Qualified Ejection Seat that meets the US Government defined Neck Injury Criteria (NIC) across the pilot accommodation range.

The US16E design is common to all F-35 aircraft variants.

More information on the JSF Programme is here: www.jsf.org.uk.

Operating Ceiling	50,000ft (15,250m)
Minimum height/Speed	Zero/zero in near level attitude
Crew boarding mass range nude	46.7 Kg (103 lbs) to 111.1 kg (245 lbs)
Crew boarding mass range dressed	57.1 Kg (126 lbs) to 132.4 kg (292 lbs)
Crew size range	US Government multi-variate body sizes 1 through 8
Maximum Speed for ejection	600 KCAS
Parachute type	IGQ Type 6000 aeroconical 4-colour
Parachute deployment	Cartridge initiated
Drogue parachute	Ribbon drogue with reefing
Drogue deployment	Cartridge initiated
Harness type	Martin-Baker 5th Generation Integrated harness
Ejection seat operation type	Catapult and Under Seat Rocket Motor
Ejection gun	Twin catapult
Ejection initiation	Handle on seat bucket initiates gas operated seat firing system
Automatic back-up unit	Yes, mechanical system with barostatic time-release
Electronic sequencer	Yes, powered by thermal batteries
Timers	Time delays imposed by sequencer and ABU
Seat adjustment	Up/down actuator operated 28 Vdc with 7.4" stroke Fore/aft manual tilt mechanism adjustment Tilt mechanism enables installation to aircraft with different bulkhead configurations
Arm restraints	Yes, active system
Leg restraints	Yes, passive system
Oxygen supply	Automatic Backup Oxygen Supply (BOS) fitted
Seat survival kit	Yes, with automatic deployment, automatic liferaft inflation and 121.5 /243 / 406MHz GPS beacon integrated into Seat
Aircrew services	Seat-mounted integrated life support, with connections to oxygen supply, mic-tel, anti-g and CB demist Separate Seat interface to HMD
Canopy jettison	No
Canopy fracturing system	Yes
Interseat sequencing system	Not applicable as single Seat aircraft only
Auto eject system (AES)	Yes, active on STOVL variant only

• F-35 Lightning II (All variants)

• The seat firing handle pulled/Auto eject initiated (STOVL only) causing seat initiation cartridges to fire
• Canopy fracturing initiated
• Neck Protection Device (NPD) primary inflation
• Harness retraction unit operated
• Thermal batteries initiated, sequencer powered up
• Primary catapult cartridge fires
• Top latches disengage
• Seat moves up guide rails, secondary catapult cartridges fire
• Back-up oxygen supply activated
• IFF/Emergency location transmitter triggered
• Automatic backup unit (ABU) initiated
• Underseat rocket motor initiated
• Leg and arm restraints operated
• Start switches operated
• NPD secondary inflation
• End of catapult stroke
• Backup oxygen supply continues

MODE 1

• Drogue deployment unit operates
• Sequencer commences environmental sensing
• Sequencer commences parachute deployment time
• Sequencer initiates parachute deployment. Lower bridle release cartridge fires, followed by upper bridle release cartridge releasing the drogue parachute
• Backup oxygen supply continues

MODE 2

• Drogue deployment unit operates
• Sequencer senses conditions below 8000ft between 175 - 240 KEAS

KEAS

• Sequencer initiates parachute deployment
• Drogue stabilises and decelerates seat
• Lower bridle release cartridge then upper bridle release cartridge fire after delay
• determined by airspeed releasing the drogue parachute
• Backup oxygen supply continues

MODE 3

• Sequencer senses conditions below 8000 ft above 240 KEAS
• Drogue deployment unit operates
• Drogue stabilises and decelerates seat
• If airspeed safe, sequencer initiates parachute deployment
• If airspeed unsafe, parachute deployment delayed for pre-set time
• Lower bridle release cartridge fires after delay, pitches seat onto its back
• Upper bridle release cartridge fires after delay releasing the drogue parachute
• Backup oxygen supply continues

MODE 4

• Sequencer senses conditions 8000ft to 18000ft above 155 KEAS
• Drogue deployment unit operates
• Drogue stabilises and decelerates seat
• If airspeed safe, sequencer initiates parachute deployment
• If airspeed unsafe, parachute deployment delayed for pre-set time
• Lower bridle release cartridge fires after delay, pitches seat onto its back
• Upper bridle release cartridge fires after delay releasing the drogue parachute
• Backup oxygen supply continues

MODE 5

• Drogue deployment unit operates
• Sequencer senses high altitude
• Sequencer selects high drogue mode
• Drogue stabilises and decelerates seat
• Sequencer computes parachute deployment time
• Backup oxygen supply continues
• Seat descends stabilised by drogue
• Sequencer continues to sense altitude
• Backup oxygen supply continues
• At 18,000ft sequencer initiates parachute deployment
• Lower bridle release cartridge fires, followed by upper bridle release cartridge releasing the drogue parachute
• Backup oxygen supply continues

• Sequencer fires harness release cartridge
• Upper and lower harness locks released
• Negative-g lock released
• Arm and leg restraint lines cut
• Inflated parachute pulls aircrew from seat
• Seat survival kit (SSK) released
• Automatic Liferaft Inflation Unit (ALIU), personal locator beacon and automatic deployment unit armed
• Parachute container pulled clear by auxiliary drogue
• Aircrew descends on parachute
• SSK releases after delay, lowered below aircrew
• Liferaft automatically inflated by ALIU when immersed in water