Sparks, Nev., July 23, 2014 – Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) announces that SNC’s Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) business area located in Centennial, Colorado won a competitive contract from the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control. The contract is to provide and operate two Multi-Mission Aircraft (MMA) for the State of Colorado, Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC).
Based on the Pilatus PC-12, the DFPC aircraft will be equipped with sensors and communications equipment that allow firefighters to detect small fires before they grow into large incidents that severely affect Colorado’s lives, property, and resources. As a result of the integration of SNC’s technology and modifications by SNC, the MMA will provide advanced fire detection, location, and behavior monitoring capabilities.
Additionally, the aircraft features a communications system that allows the air crew to send collected information to all wildfire response personnel using the Colorado Wildfire Information Management System (CO-WIMS). CO-WIMS, developed by SNC’s team member, Intterra, Inc. of Castle Rock, Colorado, is a web-based collaborative information sharing tool that allows any firefighter immediate access to fire location, behavior, and other critical pieces of information. CO-WIMS is accessible from tablets, computers, and smartphones and is built specifically to address the needs of the wildfire response personnel.
“The PC-12 is an ideal multi-mission platform to support the State of Colorado’s firefighting efforts this year. The aircraft is affordable, fast, can stay airborne for a long time, and can be operated from almost any airfield. The suite of sensors and communications equipment provides a capability that can greatly improve the firefighter safety and efficiency in handling an incident,” said Ralph Pollitt, vice president of business development for SNC’s ISR.
This award establishes DFPC and SNC as the vanguard for cooperative ventures to quickly put game-changing tools and capabilities in the hands of wildfire managers to help protect Colorado’s people and resources from wildfires. SNC and the DFPC expect to have one aircraft operational this fire season.
SNC employs approximately 1,000 personnel at its locations in Centennial, Englewood and Louisville, Colorado. The work on the PC-12 will be performed at SNC’s facility in Centennial.
About SNC
SNC is a trusted global leader in aerospace and national security. Our innovative solutions enable connected protection through command, control and communications systems, as well as ISR, cyber, electromagnetic spectrum management, and other high capabilities for national security systems across all domains – sea, land, air, space and cyber. As a longstanding leader in defense technology, SNC is at the optimum intersection of commercial, defense and non-traditional contractors. We are one of the only privately owned mid-tier A&D contractors and we pride ourselves on our ability to invest early and often to ensure mission success on or ahead of schedule. It's part of our mission to always stay one step ahead; working on solutions today to solve the problems of tomorrow. Founded in 1963, SNC is owned by Chairwoman Eren Ozmen and CEO Fatih Ozmen.