BARCO's Console Selected by The Boeing Company for the Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) Program

UCAVs represent a revolutionary new weapon system that can significantly increase effectiveness and survivability of manned fighter aircraft while lowering the overall cost of combat operations.

To demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of UCAVs, the Boeing Phantom Works is working with the Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency and the U.S. Air Force to design and build two air vehicles, a reconfigurable mission control station and appropriate supportability elements.

For the design and development of the UCAV reconfigurable mission control station, Boeing will interface Silicon Graphics' Onyx II workstations to BARCO's C5 Consoles, with two integrated BARCO RFD 251 20.1" high-resolution rugged color flat panel displays. The mission control station will also be equipped with a robust satellite-relay and line-of-site communications links for distributed control in all air combat situations.

The new BARCO C5 Console is an innovative modular design that incorporates BARCO's rugged color displays with BARCO's high-performance VME or PCI board-level graphics, video, and radar processors. Other features and capabilities of the C5 console include an integrated thermal conditioning system, extended built-in test, configurable user interface and low life cycle cost.

In addition to the reconfigurable mission control station, the Boeing UCAV system consists of a tailless, 27-foot long vehicle with a 34-foot wing span, and compact storage containers that allow disassembled vehicles to be stored for long periods of time and easily transported to theaters of operation.

The DoD envisions employing UCAV weapon systems in the post-2010 battlespace to augment the manned force structure on high risk, high priority missions where mission success and survivability are key. The first such role planned for UCAVs is conduction suppression of enemy air defenses missions ahead of the manned air combat force.

Boeing has received the total shipment of C5 consoles from BARCO in the first quarter of 2000.

About BarcoView:
BarcoView with operation facilities in Kortrijk (Belgium), Toulouse (France), Atlanta, Georgia and Portland, Oregon (USA) designs and manufactures high-resolution display systems, displays, graphics controllers and display subsystems for highly demanding niche markets such as C4I, avionics, vessel and air traffic control, vehicle electronics, and medical imaging applications.

Alongside Barco Projection Systems and BarcoVision, BarcoView is one of the three strategic activities of the BARCO Group, which are all active in Image Processing. Barco Projection is in various markets of large screen visualization, whereas BarcoVision develops systems for visual inspection and quality control. In 2000, the entire BARCO group delivered a turnover of euro 751 million. BARCO has a network of subsidiaries, distributors and agents in 97 countries throughout the world. BARCO has been quoted on the Brussels Stock Exchange since 1986, and is now quoted on Brussels/Euronext. BARCO is a BEL 20 and a Next 150 company and is member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes.

For more information, please contact

Inge Govaerts
Public Relations Manager
Barco Security & Monitoring

Telephone +32 56 36 8052
inge.govaerts@barco.com