Boeing

Boeing [NYSE: BA] received an $81 million contract for its second full-rate production contract of 401 Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS).

First used in Operation Iraqi Freedom, the JHMCS displays flight and targeting information on a helmet visor, allowing pilots to lock-on and attack air-to-air and air-to-ground targets simply by looking at the targets.

This capability enables pilots to launch weapons much more quickly, thereby significantly increasing both their effectiveness and survivability.

"Continued feedback from U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy pilots tells us that the JHMCS system is significantly increasing their combat capability," said John Lieber, Boeing JHMCS Business Team Leader. "That increase in capability has resulted in a significant increase in the demand for the system, which poses a welcome challenge to dramatically increase our production capacity in order to meet our customers' requirements."

Boeing will deliver the JHMCS to the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard for use by F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots, to the U.S. Navy for use by F/A-18 Hornet pilots, and to six international air forces. JHMCS also displays aircraft altitude, airspeed, g's and angle of attack on the visor, as well as tactical information, to increase the pilot's awareness of the state of his aircraft and the combat situation.

Boeing is the prime contractor and integrator for JHMCS and Vision System International, based in San Jose, Calif., is the major subcontractor.