Primagraphics Supplies Thales with Video Record and Replay Systems for Tornado Synthetic Training.

Business Editors

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 15, 2004

Primagraphics (www.primagraphics.com), the command & control, video and graphics specialist, has supplied its commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) digital video record and replay systems to Thales Training and Simulation (TT&S) (www.thales-tts.com) for Tornado aircrew debriefing.

Primagraphics' systems form part of the RAF's Tornado GR4 Synthetic Training Service operated by Thales. Engineers at Thales' facility at Crawley, England, have integrated Primagraphics' equipment into mission simulators now installed at new training centers at RAF Marham, in Norfolk, England, and RAF Lossiemouth, in Morayshire, Scotland.

"We needed an efficient and cost-effective system that would be capable of recording multiple cockpit and instructor displays, as well as audio communication. This meant real-time recording of displays of differing resolutions," said Amit Talati, Tornado GR4 STE Chief Engineer at TT&S in Crawley, England. "Following a training sortie on the full mission simulator, the recorded information then needed to be played back during debrief sessions on standalone equipment. The Primagraphics solution met these requirements."

For this demanding application, Primagraphics has supplied both the record and replay systems. The record system uses analog and digital processing techniques to ensure that the data is compressed and digitally recorded on hard-disk at high quality. The record system includes Primagraphics' VME video products to provide high-fidelity recording of the fine detail of the high-resolution video images.

Replay of multiple video channels and audio data is performed on a high-performance PC using an application developed by Primagraphics. The replay system allows the trainer instant access to any point in the mission and provides the facility for fast and slow playback.

John Hunter, sales and marketing director at Primagraphics, said: "Thales Training & Simulation is a long-standing customer of Primagraphics and we are delighted that we have been able to help them with this demanding requirement. By using our video processing expertise, we have designed a system that is very flexible and provides outstanding quality of recorded data."

Contact Primagraphics in North America by phone on 434 951 9460, by post to 1000 Research Park Blvd., Suite 106, Charlottesville, VA 22911, USA, or by email to: [e-mail].