Kaiser Wins Boeing Contract for Projection Displays

SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 23 -- The Kaiser Electronics Div. of the Kaiser Aerospace & Electronics Corp. has been awarded a contract from Boeing to provide projection displays for the US Navy's F/A-18E/F cockpit. The devices are 6.25-in. by 6.25-in. reflective micro liquid crystal display projection-based smart displays called Digital Expandable Color Displays, or DECDs. DECDs will replace the active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD) multipurpose color displays that Kaiser currently supplies to Boeing.
Boeing is funding development of DECDs under an initiative aimed at reducing costs while improving performance and reliability of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. According to Kaiser, the display design is a ruggedized integration of commercial-off-the-shelf projector components and technologies derived from the company's experience in AMLCD head-down displays, as well as optics capabilities developed for head-up and helmet-mounted displays.