Ejection Seat Systems

HDT Airborne Systems' expertise in the engineering and manufacturing of ejection seat parachute systems is unsurpassed.

In 1946, the first "live" ejection was made from an aircraft using a Martin-Baker ejection seat fitted with an HDT Airborne Systems’ (then Irvin Aerospace) parachute assembly. In 1951, the two companies collaborated to develop the first autonomous pilot seat ejection system.

Martin-Baker is the world's longest-established and most-experienced manufacturer of ejection seats and related equipment safeguarding an aviator during aircraft escape, survival, location and recovery phases. Only Martin-Baker ejection seats have saved over 7,340 aircrew lives in more than 93 Air Forces.

Every parachute used on a Martin-Baker ejection seat was designed and qualified by HDT Airborne systems. Today, HDT Airborne Systems’ ejection seat parachute systems are in service on a wide variety of fighter jets. The equipment supplied includes main parachutes, seat stabilizing drogues and headbox auxiliary parachutes. Our most recent achievements include the fielding of the Type 5000 parachute system on the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Type 6000 parachute system on the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft.

With superior stability and deceleration performance, our Aeroconical™ series of main parachutes (Type 1000 through to Type 6000 parachutes) are the most technically advanced in the world, and with its very recognizable shape, the Aeroconical™ canopy is capable of opening and landing the pilot safely at low and high speeds. At high speed (certified for velocity up to 650 knots at altitudes up to 50,000 ft), this parachute design limits the opening shock to the pilot to 25g, allowing a safe descent. At low speed (certified at velocity 0, altitude 0), the parachute is capable of opening very fast to increase the descent time. The variants of conical-ribbon, seat-stabilizing drogues produced by HDT Airborne Systems exhibit cutting edge technical performance combined with durability and affordability.

HDT Airborne Systems ejection seat parachute systems are under an exclusive design, development and sales agreement with Martin-Baker. All inquiries for these systems (new or parts) should be directed to Martin-Baker.