Rockwell Collins Helmet Mounted Display selected for AVCATT

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The U.S. Army, through the Program Executive Office of Simulation Training and Instrumentation, has awarded Rockwell Collins a $23.8 million contract for the Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (AVCATT) Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) modification and upgrade program.

“This is a great example of how Rockwell Collins integrates multiple disciplines to provide the best solutions for our customers,” said Ron Hornish, vice president and general manager, Sensor Systems for Government Systems at Rockwell Collins. “In this case, our expertise in helmet mounted displays and simulation and training made us the right choice for the AVCATT program.”

AVCATT is a mobile, transportable, virtual simulation training system designed to provide Army aviation with the capability to conduct realistic, high intensity training exercises and mission rehearsals. The system allows pilots to train and rehearse through networked simulation in a collective and combined arms simulated battlefield environment.

The contract calls for Rockwell Collins to provide the SimEye SR100A HMD, a more compact, lightweight, high-resolution upgrade for its already proven SimEye XL100A, which is presently used in AVCATT.

Developed based on feedback from the warfighter, enhancements include higher resolution, upgraded head tracker technology and reductions in head-borne weight and overall size. The SimEye SR100A HMD allows pilots to feel as if they are part of an environment as opposed to simply viewing a scene during training.

Rockwell Collins will be integrating its HMD -- incorporating an integral IS-900 head tracker -- with its EPX-50 image generator. By optimizing overall system performance of the HMD technology, Rockwell Collins will ensure the success of the visual displays for the AVCATT trainer.

The work for the AVCATT program, which was awarded under the Rockwell Collins’ Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command (STRICOM) Omnibus Contract, will be completed in the company’s Carlsbad, Calif. and Orlando, Fla. locations.