Barco lands Control Display Unit order for C-27J Joint Cargo Aircraft

Avionics display provider Barco has been selected by L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Waco, Texas, USA, to supply Control Display Units for the C-27J Joint Cargo Aircraft program. Barco's control display units were the preferred choice because of their modular open architecture, as well as the company's earlier experience with the C-27J platform. The agreement marks a new milestone in the success story of the CDMS-3000 Control Display Unit. To this date, 2 aircraft are in the order book, with projections for up to 76 additional aircraft over the next 6 years, representing a potential business volume of 156 CDMS for Barco.

The Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) program was commissioned by the US Department of Defense to revitalize the aviation assets of the Armed Forces in view of their current and anticipated needs. The airframe will be operated both by the US Army and the US Air Force. The Army will use the JCA to replace its ageing C-12 Hurons, C-23 Sherpas and C-26 Metroliners. In the Air Force cargo fleet, the new airframes will complement the existing C-130 Hercules.

The 78 aircraft currently anticipated to be ordered will be equipped with Barco's latest generation CDMS-3000 Control Display Unit, featuring a pioneering 3 x 4 inch AMLCD panel with VGA resolution. Equipped with the latest LCD technology, the CDMS-3000 combines high brightness and contrast with compact dimensions, low weight and excellent energy efficiency.

L-3 Communications preferred Barco's CDMS-3000 over other CDUs because of its modular, open MOSArt architecture. This enables customers to develop or integrate their own avionics applications, or easily upgrade an existing application to meet future needs. Another driving factor was the display's backward compatibility with the units operated on the current C-27J and C-130J fleet.

The first prototypes of the CDMS-3000 have already been delivered to L-3 Communications. Series production will follow in the third quarter of the year.