UAE F-16 fleet get HUD upgrade
BAE Systems will modernise head-up displays (HUD) on the United Arab Emirates’ F-16 aircraft under a contract with Lockheed Martin.
The HUD, which sits directly in a pilot’s line of sight, is a see-through display that presents real-time, flight-critical information without obstructing the view of the outside world.
The upgrade will replace the fleet’s analogue system with BAE's advanced Digital Light Engine (DLE) technology. The upgrade will integrate into the F-16’s existing HUD space, requiring no changes to the aircraft, cabling, or computing. The advancement will remove the outdated cathode ray tube image source and replace it with a digital projector.
The DLE HUD features high-resolution symbology that is viewable under any flight condition, and it is designed to accommodate future advancements in symbology and video.
Andy Humphries, director of advanced displays at BAE System, said: ‘To the naked eye, the pilot sees no difference in performance when our DLE HUD is installed. It retains the existing optics, video camera, and control panel.
‘The real difference is the significant cost savings our customer will experience over the product’s life cycle as a result of reduced maintenance and spares requirements.’
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