Article Posted on : - Oct 25, 2010

The Multi-Functional display (MFD) is a device that puts all aircraft-systems monitoring and flight planning functions at the pilot's fingertips.

NEW DELHI (BNS): Samtel HAL Display Systems, a JV between Samtel Display Systems and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has been awarded the production clearance from RCMA (Regional Centre for Military Airworthiness), CEMILAC for induction of indigenously made multi-function displays (MFDs) on Sukhoi 30 MKI aircraft.

The potential of this order will be Rs 250 crores over the next few years for the entire Sukhoi fleet.

Samtel HAL will begin the deliveries of the 5"x5" and 6"x6" MFDs to HAL within the next week for inducting on Su30 MKIs.

With this contract, the company has become the first Indian company to indigenously produce a hi-tech cockpit display for fighter aircraft. These MFDs were jointly developed by DRDO, Samtel and HAL, and have replaced the multifunction displays which were till now being imported by HAL for induction on Sukhoi 30 MKIs, according to a news release by the Samtel Display Systems.

The MFDs had received flight clearance from RCMA for airworthiness in 2008. Later flight trials were conducted by HAL for the MFDs on Sukhoi 30 MKIs. It is after the successful completion of flight trials that Samtel HAL has received a production clearance by RCMA for supply of MFDs to HAL.

The joint venture between Samtel Display Systems and HAL was formed in 2006 with an aim to address the avionics requirements of HAL especially cockpit displays of all kinds. The JV plans to induct cockpit displays across all platforms of HAL with Samtel-HAL JV's products. This joint venture is the first public-private partnership in the defence avionics sector in India.