Rockwell Collins and Elbit to provide night-vision capability to Navy pilot head-up displays
PATUXENT RIVER NAS, Md., 28 May 2014. U.S. Navy combat aircraft experts needed night-vision capability for helmet-mounted head-up displays for high-performance fighter-bomber aircraft. They found their solution from a partnership of Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Elbit Systems of America in Fort Worth, Texas -- otherwise known as Rockwell Collins-ESA Vision Systems LLC.
Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., announced plans Friday to negotiate a sole-source contract with Rockwell Collins-ESA for Night Vision Cueing and Display (NVCD) Systems that are compatible with different versions of the Navy's Boeing F/A-18 Hornet strike fighter.
The NVCD is part of the Rockwell Collins Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), which projects symbology and imagery onto the pilot's helmet-mounted visor to help meet the workload of operating the aircraft; detecting, tracking, and engaging targets; and dealing with emergency situations.
Most importantly the JMCS and NVCD combination enables the pilot to keep his eyes out of the cockpit while viewing important information presented as symbology on his visor about targets, aircraft status, and navigation.
Related: Boeing scores another Air Force production contract for Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System
The upcoming contract will involve the NVCD modules for the JMCS used with the F/A-18 C, D, E, and F models, as well as the EA-18G Growler carrier-based electronic warfare jet.
The NVCD is designed to enable combat jet pilots to fly as well, and with similar tactics, maneuvers, and weapons use as they would during the day. It and the JMCS are mounted on a lightweight HGU 55/P helmet shell that can accommodate the day or night modules.
The Rockwell Collins NVCD QuadEye provides the pilot with a 100-by-40-degree field of view or 40 degrees circular, with symbology or video inserted into the night-vision scene.
Related: Boeing looks to Vision Systems for helmet-mounted displays for jet fighter aircraft pilots
The upcoming contract to Rockwell Collins will include NVCD support equipment, spares, interim repairs, non-recurring engineering, logistics support, technical data, and programmatic support for one year, with options for two additional years, Navy officials say.
For more information contact Rockwell Collins online at www.rockwellcollins.com, Elbit Systems of America at www.elbitsystems-us.com, or Naval Air Systems Command at www.navair.navy.mil.
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.
