SNC Selected for Phase Three Order to Aid Pilots

Sierra Nevada Corporation Selected for Phase Three Order to Aide Pilots in Degraded Visual Environments (DVE)

SPARKS, Nev. (October 23, 2015) –Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has been awarded a task order for the next phase of development for its Degraded Visual Environment Pilotage System (DVEPS). The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract with the United States Special Operations Command Technology Applications Contracting Office was initially awarded in 2013 to increase the safety of military aircrews worldwide.

SNC’s DVE Pilotage System will allow pilots to safely operate in degraded visual environments such as brownout, smoke, sand, snow, rain and fog conditions through the use of a multi-sensor, see-through imaging system that provides real-time, high-resolution fused imagery of the terrain and obstacles. This multi-aircraft, game-changing technology will increase aircrew situational awareness of obstacles throughout all phases of flight including people, power lines, ditches, mountains, rocks and other obstacles, reducing loss of life and equipment.

SNC was competitively selected for the third phase task order following a successful airborne test of its DVEPS program at the Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona in June 2015. This airborne test demonstrated SNC’s ability to fuse multi-sensor data into real-time, high-fidelity imagery during operations in DVE conditions. The final contract phase includes Integrated System Development/Demonstration, Low-Rate Production and Qualification testing. The effort will begin in fiscal year 2016 with Developmental Flight Testing, leading to a Milestone C decision followed by Low-Rate Initial Production to support Qualification and Operational Testing.

“It is a great honor to have been selected for the third phase of this important life-saving and mission enabling program that will provide agile, flexible and economical technology to our country’s military.” said Greg Cox, corporate vice president for SNC’s Communication, Navigation and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management business area “DVEPS combines unmatched performance in a reduced Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) envelope, creating a superior system that was unavailable at the start of the program. We look forward to finalizing this phase of the contract, leading to a Full-Rate Production decision in fiscal year 2017/2018.”

ENDS

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