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Johan Zanden
Senior Marketing and Sales Executive
Saab Avitronics |
Aeroindianews.com,
the official online show daily of Aero India 2007 spoke with
Mr. Johan Zanden, Senior Marketing and Sales Executive, Saab Avitronics.
AeroIndianews.com:
Please tell us about the new product that Saab is showcasing at Aero India 2007.
Mr. Johan Zanden: Saab has developed a new lightweight Head Up Display (HUD) system for helicopters and aircraft with cost effective “out-of-the-window” display solutions. This product named RIGS is on display at Aero India 2007. It can be used for both civilian and military aircraft.
RIGS provides an electro-optical presentation system (head up display) which is used for displaying information about altitude, navigation, flight, reticule, aim-point etc to the aircraft or helicopter crew by day, night and in adverse weather conditions.
AeroIndianews.com:
How cost effective is it?
Mr. Johan Zanden: The technology used in RIGS gives the user the power to upgrade the capabilities of the system through software upgrades. RIGS has reduced the cost to nearly one-fifth of the total cost required to install and maintain helmet mounted display system.
AeroIndianews.com: Are you planning to open a manufacturing unit in India?
Mr. Johan Zanden: We already have manufacturing units in South Africa and Sweden. But we are trying to tap the immense resources India has in the field of software technology. Sixty to seventy percent of any product that we manufacture is software-related. India has the highest number of talented and qualified software engineers. We provide training to these engineers so that the changes that need to be made in RIGS to suit the Indian work environment can be done in India itself.
AeroIndianews.com:
What products have you delivered to the Indian aircraft industry?
Mr. Johan Zanden: Some of our components and systems are being used in Indian Air Force Helicopters like Dhruv and Cheetah and fighters like sukhoi-30.
Also we have tied up with a few Indian companies like HAL and BEL in the past.
AeroIndianews.com: Are you planning to enter into a partnership with any Indian company for sales and marketing of RIGS?
Mr. Johan Zanden: Talk are still going on with a few Indian companies, however, we have not yet reached a decision on that matter.
AeroIndianews.com:
What other orders and deliveries are you working on at the moment?
Mr. Johan Zanden: We have received an mammoth order from UK for some 40 to 50 High Definition Video Recorders.We are looking forward to more business opportunities in Aero India 2007 in Bangalore. We are also delivering Flight Data Recorders and Integrated Defensive Aid Suites to HAL.
Saab Avitronics uses video display technology to project a video picture into the field of view of the aircrew. RIGS can be used for fixed wing as well as for helicopters. Its open end architecture enables it to be easily retrofitted into any platform. The technology used in RIGS gives the user the power to upgrade the capabilities of the system through software upgrades. In addition to recording mission data , radar image and crew audio, it will also be possible to record through HUD sight video in DiRECT; Saabs solid state mission cockpit recorder. The synchronized replay of multiple aircraft video/mission data on ground station makes this a valuable training/ de-briefing tool.
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