ROCHESTER, England - Military avionics designers at Lockheed Martin Corp. needed upgraded head-up display (HUD) technology for the U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor jet fighter. They found their solution from the BAE Systems Electronic Systems segment in Rochester, England.
Officials of the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics segment in Fort Worth, Texas, have chosen BAE Systems to modernize the F-22's HUD by replacing it with a completely digital version, BAE Systems officials say.
BAE Systems engineers will use the company's advanced Digital Light Engine (DLE) technology to implement a form, fit, and function HUD solution that integrates seamlessly into the F-22's existing HUD space.
BAE Systems officials say they expect to receive a follow-on production contract from Lockheed Martin to retrofit the current HUDs in the Air Force F-22 fleet with the modern DLE solution.
The DLE package is compatible with any existing aircraft interface. The upgrade removes the conventional cathode ray tube (CRT) image source and introduces a more advanced digital display, which offers increased reliability, eliminates high-maintenance and obsolete items, and provides a constant luminance performance.
DLE technology provides enhanced situational awareness for the military aviator, and allows some freedom of head movement.
DLE HUD technology is backward-compatible with existing aircraft interface, and offers minimal impact on display performance, company officials say.
As an increasing number of military aircraft receive upgrades to digital display solutions, the DLE HUD offers easy integration into existing HUD space, BAE Systems officials say. It offers more than 20 percent life-cycle cost reduction and at least four times greater mean time between failure (MTBF), experts say.
"The F-22 is a premier fighter aircraft of the U.S. Air Force, and its pilots deserve the most advanced situational awareness technology available today," says Andy Humphries, director of advanced displays at BAE Systems. "We've worked closely with Lockheed Martin to deliver a completely modernized HUD solution for the F-22 fleet that meets the long-term needs of the Air Force."
FOR MORE INFORMATION visit BAE Systems Electronic Systems online at www.baesystems.com, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics at www.lockheedmartin.com/us/aeronautics.html, or the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at www.wpafb.af.mil/aflcmc.
