Elbit Systems UK Sponsors Epic Charity Row in Aid of PTSD and Parkinson’s Disease
London, UK, December 12, 2019 – Elbit Systems UK have been officially named as a Silver Sponsor of Monkey Fist Adventures’ Brain Waves Challenge – a crew of four who will be rowing the Atlantic and Indian Oceans in starting in January of 2020.
In addition to being a Silver Sponsor, Elbit Systems UK will also be providing the team with the company’s operationally proven Emergency Personal Locator Beacons (EPLB), which is in use with several Armed Forces including the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.
In the event of an accident or emergency, the EPLB delivers emergency alerts to the international search and rescue (SAR) satellite “constellation” as well as homing signals to local SAR response assets. This enables a quick and effective rescue of stranded crew and significantly increases the probability of survival. The EPLB operates efficiently in all weather conditions and at a full range of temperatures.
On Friday 6 December, the Brain Waves crew attended a training day at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution College in Poole. During the day they completed a rigorous sea survival training course which also gave them the opportunity to practice using the EPLBs to ensure they understood the technology and are as prepared as possible for this ambitious adventure.
The Brain Waves Challenge involves a four man crew rowing a total of 8,500 miles completely unsupported, leaving them at the mercy of unpredictable seas and in extreme weather conditions – creating a unique environment to generate invaluable research data for Parkinson’s Disease and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, directly from those living with these conditions. Raising money for a number of charity partners, the crew will be aiming to achieve two incredible world firsts: The first people to row non-stop, continent to continent, between Australia and Africa. The first people to row across two oceans in the same year.
Martin Fausset, CEO of Elbit Systems UK said: “We are hugely honoured to be supporting this inspirational crew as they undertake such a monumental challenge. The incredible bravery of these men and women, determined to make a difference, is an inspiration to all of us; and it only felt right that we helped provide them with the best possible equipment to ensure safe passage.”
Billy Taylor, Captain of Monkey Fist Adventures’ Brain Weaves Challenge said: “We would like to thank Elbit Systems UK for their generous support in sponsoring us as we undertake this challenge. We are enormously grateful for the EPLBs they have provided and are glad to be safe in the knowledge that if anything does go wrong we’ve got the best equipment to hand.”
About Elbit Systems UK
Elbit Systems UK Ltd (ESUK) holds four wholly-owned subsidiaries as well as two joint ventures. In total, over 500 personnel are employed by the ESUK companies in the UK, in high tech roles in the defence, aerospace and rail sectors. The two joint ventures were formed in order to deliver the Watchkeeper programme for the British Army and to supply and support three fleets of aircraft within the UK MOD Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) programme.