Navy looks to Argon Corp. to provide flat-panel sonar displays to replace CRTs aboard submarines

March 2, 2015
NEWPORT, R.I., 2 March 2015. U.S. Navy submarine sonar experts needed flat-panel color displays to replace old-model cathode ray tube (CRT) displays for sonar technicians aboard U.S. submarines. They found their solution from Argon Corp. in Great Neck, N.Y.
NEWPORT, R.I., 2 March 2015. U.S. Navy submarine sonar experts needed flat-panel color displays to replace old-model cathode ray tube (CRT) displays for sonar technicians aboard U.S. submarines. They found their solution from Argon Corp. in Great Neck, N.Y.

Officials of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division in Newport, R.I., announced their intention Friday to purchase Argon 17-inch ruggedized display units in support of the Submarine Fleet Maintenance Activities and NAVSUP.

These displays are to upgrade all legacy CRT sonar displays in the fleet, Navy officials say. The displays will be upgraded with new flat panel technology, with increased display size within the same physical footprint, lower power consumption, and will be air-cooled instead of water-cooled.

For this order, Navy officials say they expect to order 10 displays with an option for five more. The order will sole-source because Argon makes the only displays that are 100 percent form-, fit-, and function-compatible with the CRT sonar displays they will replace in the Navy's submarine fleet.

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Argon displays also are shock tested to comply with Navy submarine requirements for shock, vibration, and other harsh operating conditions found aboard Navy fast-attack and ballistic-missile submarines.

Argon produces the ARD17 rugged 17-inch display that is suitable not only for submarine sonar displays, but also for command and control console applications where space is at a premium, such as in military tactical vehicles, mobile shelters, and other close-in naval spaces.

The ARD17's small bezel size, flexible mounting configurations, configurable I/O, and universal AC/DC power supply make it a solution for many mission-critical applications, Argon officials say.

The ARD17 is a mil-spec display with a variety of standard options. The thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal display (TFT-LCD) measures 17 inches diagonal, has 1280-by-1024-pixel resolution, 300 to 750 nits brightness, and optionally can be compatible with night-vision goggles.

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The display measures 15 by 12.28 by 1.58 inches, weighs 15 pounds, and accepts input power of 18 to 36 volts DC or 110/220 volts AC. the display typically uses 35 Watts of power and has mil circular sub D or specialty connectors.

It has an all-aluminum enclosure, operates in temperatures from -15 to 55 degrees Celsius, and resists the effects of shock, vibration, salt fog, sand, dust, and humidity.

For questions or concerns on this upcoming order, contact the Navy's Eileen Emond by email at [email protected], or by phone at 401-832-1482.

Additional information on this upcoming order is online at https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DON/NAVSEA/N66604/N66604-15-R-0431/listing.html.

For more information contact Argon Corp. online at www.argoncorp.com, or the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division-Newport at www.navsea.navy.mil/nuwc/newport.

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