MICROVISION AWARDED ADDITIONAL $3.3 MILLION FROM U.S. ARMY.

Microvision, Inc. (Nasdaq:MVIS) recently announced that it has received a contract modification for an additional $3.3 million from the U.S. Army Aircrew Integrated Systems Product Office awarded through the Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD).

Microvision will expand their work on the Virtual Cockpit Optimization Program (VCOP) for use in attack and utility helicopters. The contract modification brings the total amount of the contract to $20.3 million.

Microvision will improve and reduce the overall system design, the helmet's electronics, optics and scanning features to increase overall system efficiency and performance. Microvision will also initiate the final phases of militarization and ruggedization to enable a flight capable system that meets airworthiness requirements specified by the AATD. A flight test is anticipated following the completion of this development phase.

Microvision envisions that the virtual cockpit concept and its variations could be utilized in helicopters that are in the design stage, and in a variety of other military and commercial aircraft and even in ground vehicles. The contract indicates that the potential requirement for the VCOP system is an estimated average yearly procurement quantity of 500 systems per year and an estimated total quantity of 3,000, with an average system selling price objective not to exceed $750,000.

VCOP is a concept of how a virtual cockpit would function, including a "what you see depends on where you look" concept that can be achieved with Microvision's advanced display technology. As the pilot looks up and out of the cockpit, various types of full-color targeting, navigational or terrain overlays appear on his helmet display. When pilots look into the cockpit, they may see "virtual" instruments projected onto the eye that literally replace many of the existing dials and multifunction displays that are in cockpits today.

The VCOP program offers the Army both technical and cost advantages, noted Rob Sainsbury, director of government business development for Microvision. "Existing instruments can be cumbersome and hard to maintain, and, as new capabilities arise, upgrading this hardware without replacing or re-wiring everything is an expensive procedure," he said. "A virtual cockpit, however, is small, lightweight and can be readily upgraded just by changing the software. We've seen estimates that upgrading a VCOP system might be only one fifth of the cost of upgrading all the integrated software and supporting elements in an existing helicopter's avionics suite."

Microvision chief operating officer, Bill Sydnes stated, "Once again we're honored that the Army continues to support the development of Microvision's very powerful display technology. The Army has set stringent performance expectations for its next generation of rotorcraft; performance standards unattained prior to our display. Our display underscores that Microvision is in a unique position to deliver a high performance yet cost-effective system solution that exceeds the Army's demanding requirements. We are eager to continue under contract to further develop, integrate, and test the VCOP system to ensure that the resulting commercial design is producible and supportable."