New generation lightweight fighter aircraft, such as Eurofighter and Rafale, demand significant weight reduction for all their subsystems in order to achieve a lower aircraft total mass. The Mk16 ejection seat achieves its remarkably light weight by combining the twin catapult outer cylinder tubes as both propulsion system and as the seat's primary structure. The Mk16 ejection seat design optimizes pilot field of view, improves comfort and pilot efficiency, provides integration with OBOGS, chemical defence and helmet mounted systems. Reliability and maintainability have been key elements in the design, resulting in an escape system that has full component accessibility in the cockpit. Modular construction enables the seat to be safely removed or installed in minutes without removing the aircraft cockpit canopy.These and other design features will ensure that this new generation of ejection seat succeeds the Martin-Baker Mk10 as the world's most popular escape system.

Specifications

Seat firing handle pulled, centrale initiates rigid hermetic transmission chain (RHTC)
Command firing initiated
Harness power retraction unit retracts shoulder straps
Canopy fractured by canopy pyrotechnic cutting system
Primary cartridge fires, bottom latches engage, top latches disengage seat rises
  up rails
Aircraft services disconnected
Emergency oxygen supplied to aircrew
Legs and arms restrained
IFF tripped
Secondary cartridges fire as seat rises
Multi-purpose initiators fire
Mechanical mode selector (MMS), Barostatic time-release unit (BTRU) and Drogue deployment unit timer (DDUT) sears tripped
Underseat and lateral rocket motors fire
Leg restraint lines become taut and rivets shear, freeing lines from floor brackets
Aerodynamic surfaces deploy
Drogue deployment unit fires after delay
Time delays initiated for MMS and BTRU
Manual override (MOR) lock disengaged
Low speed, low altitude mode
     - MMS senses mode, fires primary circuit
     - Drogue canister deployed, pulls bridle clear
     - Upper and lower bridle locks released
Intermediate mode
     - MMS inhibited above 7500 ft (2286 m)
     - Drogue stabilises and decelerates seat
High speed, low altitude mode
     - MMS inhibited above 260 KEAS or 4 G
     - Drogue stabilises and decelerates seat
     - BTRU runs out firing primary circuit
High altitude mode
     - Drogue stabilises and decelerates seat
     - Emergency oxygen supply continued
     - Drogue releases at barostate altitude of 16400 ft (5000 m)
Headbox deployment initiated
Upper harness locks release
Man portion PEC release
Arm and leg restraint lines cut
Lower harness locks release after delay
Parachute inflates
Auxiliary drogue pulls headbox clear
Personal locator beacon activated
PSP retained
Aircrew descends on parachute
PSP automatically lowered after delay
Liferaft automatically inflates