VSI's Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System Deployed on Hellenic Air Force F-16 Fleet.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Vision Systems International (VSI) announces that the Hellenic Air Force has added the company's Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System capability to its new fleet of F-16 block 52 aircraft. This new capability, ordered as part of Peace Xenia 3, will allow pilots unprecedented combat performance and situational awareness.

The JHMCS provides pilots with a "first look, first shot" capability when employed with high off-boresight weapons under high-g conditions. The system allows pilots to lock-on and fire at enemy aircraft without having to maneuver their aircraft into position. The pilot needs only to point his head at the target and weapon systems are automatically cued. JHMCS is also highly effective when used in air-to-ground engagements as demonstrated in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In both air-to-air and air-to-ground modes, critical information such as weapon cues and aircraft performance parameters are graphically displayed directly on the pilot's visor.

The first JHMCS flights on a Hellenic F-16D were performed by Major Machalias and Major Tolis. The JHMCS flights are the highlight of a multi-disciplinary fielding effort involving avionics, software, life support and pilot training. During the flights, JHMCS operation and functionality were evaluated both in air-to-air and air-to-ground profiles. JHMCS performed beyond specification in all areas including display symbology, precise sensor slaving and target cueing.

JHMCS is fast becoming the helmet mounted cueing system of choice with legacy airframes such as the F-15, F-16, and the F/A-18. Including the US Air Force, US Navy and US Air National Guard, JHMCS has been ordered under Foreign Military Sales (FMS) production commitments for Australia (F/A-18), Finland (F/A-18), Chile (F-16), Poland (F-16) and Switzerland (F/A-18). VSI has also sold JHMCS under direct commercial contracts to Denmark and Norway in support of the European Air Force F-16 Mid-life Update (MLU) program as well as to Boeing in support of the South Korean F-15K program.

VSI was established in 1996 as a joint venture between EFW, Inc. a subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd (Nasdaq:ESLT) and Rockwell Collins (NYSE:COL) to develop, manufacture and support fixed wing HMDs worldwide. With a heritage of more than 35 years of design and development experience in display systems, VSI today is the leading supplier of fixed wing HMDs. In addition to the JHMCS, VSI is in development on the advanced HMD for the F-35 (JSF) and in production on the DASH (Display and Sight Helmet) Generation IV HMD under multiple contracts to Lockheed Martin.