GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Jan. 26, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Smiths Aerospace (LSE:SMIN) recently made mission display system hardware and software deliveries to Boeing for the USAF C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP). This hardware and software, collectively known as the mission display processor, represents the principle computing environment for the C-130 AMP. The mission display processor is the heart of the C-130 AMP avionics upgrade. The systems are being delivered from the Smiths facility in Grand Rapids to Boeing's Long Beach, California facility. Boeing is installing the system in preparation for flight test in early 2006.
This marks three key deliveries for the pre-development test & evaluation (pre-DT&E), pre-engineering manufacturing development (pre-EMD) and critical infrastructure software (IS4). The infrastructure software, based on WindRiver's AE653 commercial operating system, provides a partitioned operating environment that implement the avionics application software standard interface specified by ARINC 653.
The mission display processor will host flight software from Boeing, Smiths Aerospace, and other AMP team members. Smiths' software to be hosted includes flight management and radio control applications. In addition, Smiths is responsible for the integration of software from Teledyne Controls, who is supplying the communication management function. BAE SYSTEMS is providing the terrain awareness and warning application derived from their proprietary TERPROM(r) TAWS product: the latest variant of the world's most proven and robust Digital Terrain System previously missionized and installed for the USAF C-17 fleet. In addition to the primary computing capability, the mission display processor provides for the cockpit display generation, facilitated by Seaweed Systems Incorporated DO-178B certifiable OpenGL driver, and extensive video processing supporting the manipulation and distribution of new and legacy video sources to all aircraft displays.
In addition to the mission display processor, Smiths will supply the following systems, with the entire program value in excess of $250 million:
- Flight management system including the communications management unit and the terrain awareness warning system ( integrated onto a single PowerPC) (Michigan) - Multi-function control displays (Michigan) - Integrated standby instrument system (Cheltenham) - Flight data recorder/cockpit voice recorder (Michigan) - Aircraft interface unit (Cheltenham) - Mission display processor including digital map (Michigan and Maryland)
Notes to editors:
About the Mission Display Processor
The mission display processor promotes open avionics architecture with the SCOE partitioned software operating environment. All primary flight display and mission software is contained within the mission display processor (MDP). The partitioned operating system enables software applications from multiple suppliers to be hosted on a single processor module. Software from ten suppliers will be integrated and hosted together in the Smiths Aerospace mission display processor. Each C-130 AMP aircraft will contain two MDPs in order to provide redundant operation, with special operations models containing up to four.
The Software Common Operating Environment
The delivery is a combination of the Wind River AE real-time operating system and Tornado development tools, the Ada Core Technologies GNAT Pro Ada 95 compiler & development environment, and Smiths Aerospace infrastructure software. The SCOE delivery provides the C-130 AMP team with an ARINC653 software partitioned operating system as well as a full set of "partitioning aware" tools to support software development and debug for the PowerPC.
About the C-130 AMP
The C-130AMP currently is in a 6-year development program. Boeing will perform modifications for the approximately 500 aircraft in the U.S. Air Force service at the Boeing Aerospace Support Center in San Antonio, Texas. The Air Force will also perform modifications at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Georgia and Ogden Air Logistics Center in Utah. The first aircraft to undergo AMP installation was inducted into the program January 19 in San Antonio. It will undergo a trial installation leading to the modification of more than 500 U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps C-130 aircraft through 2014.
About Smiths Aerospace
Smiths Aerospace is the leading transatlantic aerospace equipment and systems company, with more than 10,000 staff and nearly $2 billion sales split between Europe and North America. Smiths Aerospace, a part of Smiths Group plc, holds key positions in the supply chains of all major military and civil aircraft and engine manufacturers and is a world-leader in digital, electrical and mechanical systems, engine components and customer services.