U.S. Navy Selects Avidyne Corporation to Provide Advanced Display Systems for E-2C Carrier-Based Aircraft.

LINCOLN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 30, 1999--

Avidyne advanced technology multi-function display replacement

systems provide dramatic cost savings for Navy

Avidyne Corporation, a leader in situational awareness display products for business and general aviation, today announced that the U.S. Navy has selected Avidyne Corporation and San Diego-based Anzus, Inc. (www.jtids.com) to provide a Multi-Function Control and Display Unit (MFCDU) replacement for use in the E-2C Hawkeye, a carrier-based Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft. Avidyne is leading the avionics design effort for the team. Anzus will integrate its award-winning Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) military tactical situation awareness software with Avidyne's MFCDU. There are 72 Hawkeye aircraft in the Navy's inventory.

The MFCDU is a fielded military system installed onboard the Navy's E-2C Hawkeye carrier-based AEW Aircraft. The MFCDU is the human/machine interface used by the operator to control the installed Global Positioning System (GPS), Navigation Functions and JTIDS. The MFCDU provides a means for selecting navigation modes, entering GPS waypoints, initializing and updating JTIDS parameters, performing BIT, etc. The MFCDU operates as a Remote Terminal or Bus Controller on the Military Standard 1553 MUX Bus.

"The MFCDU replacement Avidyne is developing for the Navy will provide substantially more functionality and three times the reliability of the old MFCDU, yet cost only a third of the existing system. Avidyne's technology will allow the Navy to improve the situational awareness on board the E-2C while saving taxpayers money," said Mark Sandeen, director of business development. "This contract is also great news for Avidyne's customers because the technology developed through these contracts will be integrated into our commercially available FlightMax product lines."

Avidyne was selected because of its demonstrated ability in developing hardened avionics systems for rugged environments and its commitment to open-architecture systems like its Flight Situation Display (FSD).

"This E-2C contract is the latest gem in a long list of accomplishments for Avidyne," said Dan Schwinn, president of Avidyne. "In the past few months Avidyne has received the endorsement of both AGATE and NASA for two contracts to develop advanced display technologies: Highway in the Sky technology and Synthetic Vision technology. Now Avidyne has received an enthusiastic endorsement from the U.S. Navy. These contracts are indeed major validations of Avidyne and its open-systems technology."

About Avidyne Corporation

Based in Lincoln, Mass., Avidyne Corporation (www.avidyne.com) is revolutionizing the future of flight for business and commercial aviation through the power of today's most advanced technology. The company is leading the avionics industry with innovative products that greatly enhance pilots' situational awareness and safety during every phase of flight. Avidyne Corporation is the lead developer and recipient of NASA's "Highway in the Sky" (HITS) contract, a program supported by NASA's AGATE (Advanced General Aviation Transport Experiments) alliance. The HITS contract calls upon Avidyne and its partners to design the general aviation aircraft cockpit of the future in an effort to significantly increase utility, safety and ease-of-flying. In addition, Avidyne is the lead developer and recipient of NASA's Synthetic Vision contract for the general aviation industry. The Synthetic Vision contract complements the HITS contract and will significantly improve the detail and accuracy of 3-D terrain imagery utilized by Highway in the Sky technology.

Avidyne, FlightMax, Flight Situation Display and FSD are trademarks of Avidyne Corporation. All other products or services are identified by trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.