Big news surrounding one of our biggest shelters! Last year we got confirmation for the award of a new contract, and this one is coming straight from Belgium specifically, from the Belgian Defense Directorate General for Material Resources (DDGMR). The DDGMR is responsible for the implementation and integrated management of defence material resources throughout their life cycle, and for all technical and logistical support (weapons systems, communication, and information systems, etc.).
LANCO will supply the Belgian army with two hangars to house MQ-9B UAVs. They are designed for a minimum service life of 10 years, including a minimum of 2 complete assembly and disassembly cycles per year, and are supplied with a spare parts kit to cover this period.
The contract is set for two deployable shelters for the MQ-9B unmanned aerial vehicles, during overseas deployment. Simply put, LANCO will provide shelters for two very large drones! The MQ-9B, a remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS), delivers persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) around the globe. It is designed to fly over the horizon via satellite for up to 40+ hours in all types of weather and safely integrate into civil airspace, enabling joint forces and civil authorities to deliver real-time situational awareness anywhere in the world—day or night. The aircraft is derived from a family of systems that have achieved over 8 million flight hours over the past decade, supporting operations around the globe, from the battlefield to environmental and humanitarian efforts.
Our best fit for this venture is the CSS Clear Span Deployable Shelter – the hangar. It is a robust and versatile structure designed for a wide range of applications, including aircraft storage, industrial equipment protection, and material storage. Its durable construction and corrosion-resistant materials make it ideal for enduring harsh weather conditions and prolonged use. The hangar, in standard construction, can withstand a snow load of at least 75 kg/m² and wind gusts of up to 144 km/h. It can also operate in temperatures ranging from -30°C to +55°C and is designed for continuous operation. If needed, the structure can be dismantled, repacked, stored and re-used several times with minimum refurbishment. Additionally, it is fire retardant, self-extinguishing, and resistant to cleaning chemicals. To further enhance its longevity, the outer coating is UV resistant.
Per project requirements, each deployable hangar will be equipped with:
- An aircraft door with a clear passage of 18 m x 5 m.
- A mixed air-conditioning/electric heating system to maintain a temperature of 18°C in winter (for 0°C outdoors) and 39°C in summer for an outdoor temperature of +49°C.
- An electrical system equipped with LED lights to achieve an average level of 750 LUX in the shelter, as well as emergency exit lights and anti-panic lights.
Each clear span structure will be delivered with a reusable packaging pack (rack, plastic crate) and will be packed in 6 20-foot ISO containers.
The equipment is designed to remain watertight, operational and safe in the event of maximum daily rainfall of 0.8 mm/min combined with constant winds of up to 144km/h winds in gusts from any direction. The shelters will be able to withstand snow loads of up to 75 kg/m² without significant deformation or damage. Since the structures will be cleared of snow between major storms, they will be able to simultaneously support snow-clearing operations while being subjected to this maximum snow load.
UAVs are playing an increasingly important role in military operations around the world and as the leading provider of deployable shelters, LANCO is proud to partner with the DDGMR to provide these essential shelters for their MQ-9B fleet. We are confident that our shelters will help protect these valuable assets and ensure the continued success of their missions.