Raytheon to upgrade cockpit display avionics in U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E heavy-lift helicopters
PATUXENT RIVER NAS, Md. – Avionics designers at Raytheon Co. will produce 63 smart multi-function color display (SMFCD) B-kits to upgrade the avionics aboard U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E heavy-lift helicopters under terms of a $15.1 million U.S. Navy order.
Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., are asking the Raytheon Intelligence, Information and Services segment in Indianapolis to produce these cockpit display upgrade kits for Marine Corps large helicopters. The order came in August.
The smart displays consolidate all the helicopter's survivability information, blue force tracking, and some time-sensitive threat information onto one display.
Although Marine Corps CH-53 crews have all this information today, they must view it in several different places in the cockpit. Marine Corps leaders are attempting to reduce the number of lost aircraft and personnel due to poor situational awareness.
The increasing volume of data available in the cockpit makes it necessary for CH-53E air crews to be able to process, filter, sort, and display information from various sensors and other information sources to enhance battle space situational awareness.
The SMFCD has its own integrated processor, which enables pilots to display and manipulate current data streams cleanly using one color display screen for each pilot.
This SMFCD enables the CH-53E air crew to view forward looking infrared (FLIR) picture information with intuitive hover display, aircraft flight instrument data, integrated moving map display, and real-time threat display.
This approach can eliminate the need for a separate pen tablet computer to display aircraft position. The SMFCD also can accommodate future aircraft modifications such as Situational Awareness Data Link (SADL), LARS V12, and the Intelligence Broadcast Receiver.
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The CH-53E Super Stallion, made by Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in Stratford, Conn., is a three-engine heavy-lift helicopter typically used to transport Marine Corps infantrymen and equipment from landing ships offshore to invasion beaches. Marines also use the aircraft for general-purpose heavy-lift helicopter operations.
Raytheon engineers are modifying their company's existing SMFCD system to meet the updated requirements, integrate a prototype SMFCD system into a CH-53E helicopter, perform qualification and aircraft flight testing, as well as build and install prototype displays.
On this order Raytheon will do the work in Indianapolis, and should be finished by August 2020. For more information contact Raytheon Intelligence, Information and Services online at www.raytheon.com, or Naval Air Systems Command at www.navair.navy.mil.
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John Keller | Editor
John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.
