Kopin selected by L3Harris to supply LCD module for use in military Augmented Reality applications

In Augmented Reality News 

May 30, 2020 – Kopin Corporation, a provider of wearable computing technologies and solutions, has announced that it has been selected by L3Harris to supply its high-brightness liquid crystal display (LCD) module for inclusion in the integrated rifle scope for the Next Generation Squad Weapon – Fire Control (NGSW-FC) program. Kopin’s display module is composed of a high-performance internally-designed VGA resolution LCD microdisplay with a specialized LED backlight and Kopin’s driver board.

The NGSW-FC is slated to replace the traditional direct view riflescopes currently fielded by the U.S. Army. The NGSW-FC provides an integrated approach to targeting by combining range-finding capability, ballistic computation and environmental sensors that increase the probability of accurate targeting, while decreasing the time to engage a threat.

For the U.S. Army, the Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) is a family of products that includes a Rifle (NGSW-R) and an Automatic Rifle (NGSW-AR) that integrate an advanced fire control and common 6.8mm ammunition. The NGSW-FC is an advanced individual fire control device that supports the NGSW-R, NGSW-AR, and other individual and squad weapon systems. The L3Harris NGSW-FC prototype utilizes open architecture to deliver an initial augmented core capability followed by increasing increments of capability over time as technology matures and evolves.

“This selection and contract award is just the latest example of Kopin being awarded a program to supply high brightness LCDs for military augmented reality applications,” said Bill Maffucci, the Company’s Vice President/General Manager of Government Programs. “This award is a testament to both the strength of our technology and production capabilities. Over the years Kopin’s display products have demonstrated superior performance in the most challenging environments and continue to be the displays of choice for high performance military applications. We look forward to continuing to provide our soldiers with the best technology possible.”

Dr. John C.C. Fan, President of Kopin Corporation, commented: “We are excited with this new major win as it both showcases our unique technological capabilities and represents a major new production opportunity for Kopin.” He added, “With our full suite of microdisplays including LCD, LCOS and OLED, Kopin has become the microdisplay provider of choice for defense and enterprise applications. With our expertise in optics and specialized IC chips we have now expanded our capabilities to include high level integrated modules and subsystems. With the increased demand for AR and VR applications from both defense and enterprise customers, we are very enthused about Kopin’s positioning in this growing market segment.”

According to Kopin, the U.S. Army plans to procure up to 250,000 NGSW-FC systems to support many of its current and future weapon platforms. The weapon system is for ordinary daylight situations and is in addition to the thermal weapon systems that Kopin is currently supplying. Deliveries of initial prototypes are expected to start in the third quarter of this year and early production is expected to commence in mid-2021.

Image credit: L3Harris

About the author

Sam Sprigg

Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.