LED Indoor and Parking Lot and Area Lighting Not Ready for The U.S. Air Force
Last Friday, I received a copy of an Engineering Technical Letter from the U.S. Air Force that states that LED luminaires are not allowed for outdoor parking lot and area lighting applications:
5.1.1. The Chief Electrical Engineer has also determined LED luminaires are not permitted for exterior applications by UFC 3-530-01, Chapter 7. Only metal halide, induction, low-pressure sodium, or high-pressure sodium lamps are to be used in parking lots or area lighting.
LED luminaires are also not allowed for indoor lighting specified in UFC 3-530-01, Chapter 6, except lighting for display cases and bulletin boards.
What if a base already has LED lighting installed?
7.1. To determine the reliability, maintainability, and appropriateness of LED technology for interior and exterior lighting systems, bases that have already installed LED luminaires before the September 2009 moratorium on LED installation shall provide quarterly reports that assess fixture performance.
Click here to read the letter.
Do you actually read the document, or just the title? The document, had you read it, simply states that LED’s have not yet finished the qualification process required by the Air Force for various applications- not that LED is not ready.