Engineers at Airbus Industrie in Toulouse, France, needed a video distribution and processing (ViDP) system for the A400M military transport aircraft. They found a solution with Smiths Aerospace in Grand Rapids, Mich.
In a contract worth $55 million through 2023, the main portion of the system will be basic equipment on the launch base of 180 aircraft, plus support through the lifetime of the program. The A400M aircraft is expected to enter service in 2009.
The ViDP system performs switching and video processing to display various video functions and format on the primary cockpit displays and loadmaster workstation.
“We see a growing use of video in aviation for better situational awareness by crewmembers,” says John Ferrie, president of Smiths Aerospace. “We are committed to a long and successful relationship with Airbus as a first-tier supplier on the A400M and other programs.”
Inputs include refueling and cargo video cameras and several computer-generated video images. Smiths Aerospace supplies similar systems for the C-130 AMP and A380 aircraft. The ViDP system will be designed and manufactured at Smiths facilities in Michigan and Florida. For more information, see smiths-aerospace.com.
