THE US AIR FORCE HAS launched a programme to upgrade the visual systems on 23 tanker-aircraft simulators. The Air Mobility Command Visual Upgrade Effort (AMCVUE) programme covers 19 Boeing KC-135 and four McDonnell Douglas (MDC) KC-10 simulators.
A request for proposals was issued in late October and contract award is expected in May 1996. Identified bidders are CAE Electronics, Evans & Sutherland (E&S), FlightSafety International (FSI) and Lockheed Martin. CAE will offer its MaxVue image generator, E&S its new ESIG-4500, FSI its Vital VIII and Lockheed Martin its Compu-Scene SE2000 Plus.
The AMCVUE programme is similar to the IVACC contract under which Lockheed Martin is upgrading the visual systems on 13 USAF Air Combat Command Rockwell B-1B, Northrop Grumman B-2 and MDC F-15E simulators. The US company is supplying Compu-Scene PT3000/4000 image-generators for the IVACC programme.
Air Mobility Command requires a visual system meeting US Federal Aviation Administration Level C training standards. The KC-135 requires a 225 x 40¡ wide-angle display and the KC-10 a 225 x 45¡ display. Both displays are required to provide an expanded vertical field-of-view for air-refueling simulation, which bidders describe as a "challenge".
Lockheed Martin seems to be in a strong position as a result of winning the IVACC programme and the contract to upgrade the visual systems on seven USAF Lockheed C-5B simulators with the SE2000 Plus image-generator. The AMCVUE programme may be expanded to include visuals for two MDC C-17 simulators - the first six are fitted with PT2000s.
The company has teamed with Hughes Training (HTI) to bid for the programme. HTI will select the display system.
Source: Flight International
