Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet uses Eagle-6 display

Nov. 1, 1998
Engineers at Kaiser Electronics of San Jose, Calif., needed a low-cost display for the U.S. Navy`s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter program.

Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet uses Eagle-6 display

Engineers at Kaiser Electronics of San Jose, Calif., needed a low-cost display for the U.S. Navy`s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter program.

So they chose the Eagle-6 multipurpose color display from Planar Advance Inc. in Beaverton, Ore., and dpiX in Palo Alto, Calif.

Compared to other display manufacturers the Planar/dpiX team had the most sound business plan and an inexpensive solution, says George Welch, Kaiser`s program director for the F/A-18E/F. The Planar people have a "great attitude" and were easy to work with on modifications, he says.

Kaiser is under contract with the U.S. Navy and the Boeing Co. of St. Louis to provide the Multi-Purpose Color Display (MPCD) system for the mapping function of the F/A-18E/F.

Planar Advance and dpiX will share in the production of the new Eagle-6 display, which can also be used in other military platforms. Engineers at dpiX will design and build the Eagle-6 active-matrix liquid crystal display cell. Planar will integrate the drive electronics and thermal management system, as well as ruggedize the display to meet the military requirements.

The Eagle-6 obtains sunlight readability through high brightness and contrast with minimal specular and diffuse reflectance. The new 6.25-inch-square active-area display will also support motion video and will incorporate a quad-green pixel design that displays color and high-resolution monochrome forward-looking infrared imagery in the same unit.

The Eagle-6 is the second in a series of high-performance displays from the Planar/dpiX team and is a direct outgrowth of Defense Advance Research Projects Agency - better known as DARPA - funding to bolster U.S.-based research into high-resolution flat-panel displays. Eagle family flat-panel displays are smaller, lighter, and require less power to operate than CRT displays, claim Planar officials.

Kaiser has placed an initial production order for 38 display units, and has the option to purchase 70 additional units for a contract totaling $2 million. The Navy is expected to procure between 548 and 785 Super Hornets over the life of the program. Each F/A-18E aircraft uses one MPCD, while each F/A-18F aircraft uses two MPCDs. - J.M.

For more information on the Eagle-6 contact Richard Groppi by phone at 503-614-4112, by fax at 503-614-4101, by mail at Federal System Sales, Planar Advance Inc., P.O. Box 4001, Beaverton, Ore. 97076-4001, by e-mail at [email protected], or on the World Wide Web at http:// www.planar.com.

For more information dpiX contact Chi Huang by phone at 650-842-9600, by fax at 650-842-9808, by mail at dpiX Inc., 3406 Hillview Ave., Palo Alto, Calif. 94304-1345., by e-mail at [email protected], or on the World Wide Web at http://www.dpix.com.

Click here to enlarge image

Planar Advance`s Eagle-6 multipurpose color display serves as the map display for the U.S. Navy`s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter program.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Military Aerospace, create an account today!