A high pressure helium skid has been returned to FIBA Technologies after being utilized to fill aerostats (an unmanned, lighter-than-air aircraft) as used in surveillance at the US borders and to protect troops serving abroad. On inspecting the skid, the FIBA team was surprised to find an armor-piercing bullet embedded in the vessel wall, though it had not penetrated the steel tube itself.
FIBA Director Chris Finn explained: “This skid has been deployed to fill aerostats, vital tools in daily use for border control and in operations such as in Afghanistan.
“It has been returned to FIBA in the US for its ten year service. We came across the bullet by surprise and have no idea who fired it, but we do know it’s an armor-piercing round which our vessel withstood.
“It’s an interesting souvenir to have, but it is also a real vote of confidence for the integrity of our products.”