Sole Supplier of High-Brightness LCDs
Kopin Corporation has received a follow-on order, valued at $1.6 million (€1.3 million) for high-brightness liquid crystal displays (LCD) for the F-35 LIGHTNING II programme, the company announced on 8 June.
Much of the functionality of the aircraft is enabled through an advanced extreme augmented reality (AR) helmet, which provides the pilot with high volumes of flight, tactical, and sensor information for advanced situational awareness, precision and safety. The extensive functionality and extreme conditions require unique display technology. Kopin has been sole supplier since programme inception, providing thousands of displays to date. With F-35 production set to continue through 2030, the company anticipates further orders in the future.
“This follow-on order extends our backlog of scheduled deliveries into the first quarter of 2022, providing good visibility for our manufacturing plan,” stated Bill Maffucci, VP of Government Programs. “As the sole provider of displays to the F-35 production program, we benefit from our strong relationship with the DoD in obtaining valuable feedback, which we leverage to continuously improve our display technology. These enhancements have implications for the F-35 program, as well as many future opportunities with the military as well as enterprise customers.”