U.S. Navy officials needed multifunction displays to upgrade their E-2C Hawkeye carrier-based surveillance and control aircraft. The Multi-Function Control and Display Unit — better known as the MFCDU — from Avidyne Corp. in Lincoln, Mass., met their needs.
Engineers from Avidyne are working together with designers from Anzus Inc. of San Diego on the project to upgrade the avionics on 72 Hawkeye twin-engine turboprop aircraft. Anzus engineers will integrate their Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) military tactical situational awareness software with Avidyne`s MFCDU.
The MFCDU enables human operators to interface with the Hawkeye`s suite of surveillance and radar control electronics, such as global positioning system (GPS) and JTIDS. The MFCDU, which operates as a remote terminal or bus controller on the MIL-STD 1553 data bus, enables operators to choose navigational modes, enter GPS waypoints, and update the JTIDS parameters.
The goal of the upgrade is to improve the aircraft`s capability, while saving money on new equipment and future upgrades, company officials say. Navy experts say Avidyne has a history of developing hardened, yet open-systems, avionics for rugged environments. —J.K.
For more information, contact Avidyne by phone at 781-402-7585, by fax at 781-402-7599, by e-mail at [email protected], by post at 55 Old Bedford Road, Lincoln, Mass. 01773, or on the World Wide Web at http://www.avidyne.com/.
