Elbit Systems of America Develops a 'Combat Force Multiplier' for Helicopter Crews

FORT WORTH, Texas, October 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Situational awareness technology advances developed by Elbit Systems of America LLC, provide helicopter crews the visual cues they need to negotiate landings and takeoffs, even in the most severe degraded visual environments (DVE).

Incorporating technologies such as a Helmet Display and Tracker System (HDTS) with its intuitive 3D conformal grid symbology, Elbit Systems of America demonstrated a greatly enhanced level of mission capability in simulations conducted in the U.S. Army Black Hawk Engineering Analysis Cockpit (BEAC), a fixed-based UH-60L flight simulator in Redstone Arsenal, AL. In these rotary wing simulations, Elbit Systems of America's HDTS with 3D symbology successfully completed 100 percent of its tests in DVE brownout conditions. Conversely, numerous mission failures were experienced using 2D symbology under identical conditions. Detailed U.S. Army Research Lab reports containing the results of these tests are available upon request from the U.S. Army Air Warrior office.

U.S. Army test evaluators stated that Elbit Systems of America's 3D heads-up conformal symbology demonstrates an exceptionally strong positive effect on flight crew situation awareness, workload task performance, and preference. It also allows pilots to safely hover in severe brownout conditions.

The HDTS with 3D conformal grid symbology provides intuitive visual approach and drift cues enabling pilots to know where they are in space and time. The ancillary benefits of the system are significant. The system delivers improved crewmember coordination by providing indicators for one crewmember to determine the other's line-of-sight, making it possible for both pilots to focus immediately on a designated object or area. For aircraft equipped with automated landing systems, pilots have instant line-of-sight designations of new landing points. Also, pilots of aircraft equipped with sensors or weapon systems can now have hands-free, heads-up targeting and/or slewing of sensors to their line-of-sight.

"These are significant advances in situational awareness technologies that will greatly improve our military's capabilities in all helicopter missions, whether it's delivering or extracting troops and equipment, medevac operations, search and rescue, or attack," said Raanan Horowitz, Elbit Systems of America's President and CEO. "This milestone is a result of our engineering team's unrelenting commitment to providing cutting-edge technologies for our warfighters. This is truly a combat force multiplier that will save equipment for the next mission and, most importantly, protect and save lives."

About Elbit Systems of America, LLC

Elbit Systems of America is a leading provider of high performance products and system solutions focusing on the commercial aviation, defense, homeland security, and medical instrumentation markets.  With facilities throughout the United States, Elbit Systems of America is dedicated to supporting those who contribute daily to the safety and security of the United States.  Elbit Systems of America, LLC is wholly owned by Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ and TASE: ESLT), a global electronics company engaged in a wide range of programs for innovative defense and commercial applications. For additional information, visit: http://www.elbitsystems-us.com.

About Elbit Systems

Elbit Systems Ltd. is an international defense Electronics Company engaged in a wide range of programs throughout the world. The Company, which includes Elbit Systems and its subsidiaries, operates in the areas of military and commercial aerospace, land and naval systems, command, control, communications, computers, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance ("C4ISR"), unmanned aircraft systems ("UAS"), advanced electro-optics, electro-optic space systems, EW suites, airborne warning systems, ELINT systems, data links and military communications systems and radios. The Company also focuses on the upgrading of existing military platforms, developing new technologies for defense, homeland security and commercial aviation applications and providing a range of support services. For additional information, visit: http://www.elbitsystems.com.

Trademarks

Elbit Systems of America and other trademarks, service marks and logos are registered or unregistered marks of Elbit Systems of America companies in the United States and in foreign countries.  Copyright © 2013 Elbit Systems of America.  All rights reserved.

Forward Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) regarding Elbit Systems Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries (collectively the Company), to the extent such statements do not relate to historical or current fact.  Forward Looking Statements are based on management's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions.  Forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended.  These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict.  Therefore, actual future results, performance and trends may differ materially from these forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation: scope and length of customer contracts; governmental regulations and approvals; changes in governmental budgeting priorities; general market, political and economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates or sells, including Israel and the United States among others; differences in anticipated and actual program performance, including the ability to perform under long-term fixed-price contracts; and the outcome of legal and/or regulatory proceedings.  The factors listed above are not all-inclusive, and further information is contained in Elbit Systems Ltd.'s latest annual report on Form 20-F, which is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. The Company does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements.

Contact: Shari Clarkson, +1-682-286-2363, [email protected]

SOURCE Elbit Systems of America

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