Hello Kim,
I regularly follow this thread because I believe MVIS has the potential to change the world as we know it--hopefully sooner than later. The following news became available after KOPIN recently diluted their outstanding shares by 2,000,000. Please share any thoughts.
biz.yahoo.com
Monday February 2, 8:02 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Frost & Sullivan
Dramatic Growth Expected in Military Flat Panel Display
Market, Despite Competitive Challenges
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- In order to convey real-time, situational
awareness in future military operations, Command, Control, Communications, and Computer
Intelligence (C41) will occupy a central role in U.S. force modernization efforts. As battlefield
management relies more and more upon technology, it will require fixed and portable displays that
can survive harsh environments. Although Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors continue to
dominate in certain areas, the U.S. military has been replacing them with Flat Panel Displays
(FPDs) for a variety of applications.
According to strategic research conducted by Frost & Sullivan (www.frost.com), U.S. Military
Display Markets, the U.S. military demand for FPDs reached $415 million in 1996, making up
only a fraction of the overall consumer market. By the year 2005, the total market for FPDs for
defense-and-avionics-related applications is expected to be over $4 billion.
FPDs offer better resolution and contrast, while using less space and less power than CRTs. Flat
panel displays also provide better Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) rates, translating into
considerable savings for the Department of Defense (DoD). In addition, applications for FPDs are
many, including Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) data, weapons platform management, Identify
Friend or Foe (IFF) systems, targeting assistance, battlefield telemedicine applications and
unmanned aerial vehicle reconnaissance.
Because CRTs are becoming less advantageous in terms of supply and product life cycle, a major
market trend is the drop in number of ruggedized CRT manufacturers. As the U.S. armed services
undergo a fast-paced modernization of information networks, the DoD is also becoming more
convinced that FPDs represent the future in military display technology. While Active Matrix
Liquid Displays (AMLCDs) make up the majority of current military FPDs, EL, plasma and Field
Emission Displays (FEDs) are entering this market as competitive alternatives.
Technologically, several other competing technologies are being developed. Digital Micro-Mirror
Display (DMD) projection technology is capable of producing scan rates of over 100 per second,
and Plasma Addressed Liquid Crystal (PALC) uses a gas to do the switching normally performed
by Thin Film Transistors (TFTs). Research is being done on organic Light Emitting Diodes (LED),
that can conform to many shapes while delivering better resolution than current LCDs. In yet
another exciting program under development, the Virtual Retinal Display (VRD) will project
situational awareness to individual soldiers directly onto the retina of the eye.
The biggest challenge facing flat panel display manufacturers is producing FPDs at a much lower
cost. The Pentagon demands a ready supply of top quality FPDs that provide high-resolution
screens for several new platforms, but at less expense. In addition, the U.S. military wants
ruggedized display manufacturers to commit to this small niche market, which also requires them to
manufacture glass in shapes ill-suited to consumer applications.
There is no question that U.S. military demand will continue to create a profitable niche market for
ruggedized FPDs. The market is expected to grow drastically as new platforms such as the Joint
Strike Fighter (JSF) are developed, and as older displays are upgraded or replaced. Although
U.S. companies dominate the market in advanced electronic displays, they face stiff competition
from abroad. (That U.S. FPD firms continue to obtain original equipment manufactured glass from
Japanese manufacturers is emblematic of this trend). In some instances display manufacturers are
not delivering the finished products on time, forcing the U.S. DoD to rely on Modified Off the
Shelf (MOTS) components produced overseas for its ruggedized displays.
Frost & Sullivan's study U.S. Military Display Markets concentrates on cathode ray tubes, active
matrix liquid displays, field emission displays, plasma discharge panels and electroluminescent
displays. The report provides manufacturers with market trends, revenues forecasts, an update of
current technologies, and competitive strategies.
The companies participating in this market include: AlliedSignal Aerospace Company, Applied
Display Technology, Astronautics Corporation of America, Barco Chromatics, B.F. Goodrich
Aerospace, Brimar, Inc., Candescent Technologies Incorporated, Codar Technology, Inc.,
Conrac Systems, Inc., Dale Electronics, Inc., Densitron Corporation of America, Display
Solutions, Dolch Computer Systems, DpiX, A Xerox New Enterprises Company, Eaton
Corporation [NYSE:ETN - news], EDL Displays Incorporated, Eldec Corporation, Electronic
Designs, Inc. (EDI), Electro Plasma, Inc., FED Corporation, Fujitsu Microelectronics, Inc.,
Futaba Corporation, General Digital Corporation, Grinaker Electronics, Hitachi America Limited,
Honeywell, Inc., Hughes Lexington Incorporated, Hyundai Electronics America, Image Quest
Technologies, Inc., Image Systems Corporation [Nasdaq:IMSG - news], Industrial Electronic
Engineers, Inc. (IEE), Infodex Incorporated [OTC BB:IDXI - news], Interstate Electronics
Corporation, Kaiser Electronics, Kent Displays Incorporated, Kopin Corporation
[Nasdaq:KOPN - news], Lite Array Incorporated, Litton Systems Canada, Ltd., L3 Display
Systems, Lockheed Martin Federal Systems, Lucas Control Systems Products, Luxell
Technologies, Magnavox/Hughes Defense Communications, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.,
Ltd., MicroDisplay Corporation, Micron Technology, Inc., Miltope Corporation, Mitsubishi
Electronics America, Inc., National Integration Services (NIS), NEC Technologies Incorporated,
Noritake Company Incorporated, Optical Imaging Systems (OIS), Parker Electronic Systems,
Philips Display Components Company, Phoenix Group Incorporated, Photonics Systems,
PixTech Incorporated, Planar Standish Incorporated., Planar Systems Incorporated
[Nasdaq:PLNR - news], Plasmaco Incorporated, Raytheon Electronics Systems, RDI Computer
Corporation, Rockwell Collins, Samsung Electronics America, Inc., SANDERS, A Lockheed
Martin Company, Sarnoff Corporation, Sharp Electronics Corporation, Science Applications
International Corporation, SI Diamond Technology, Inc., Smiths Industries/Aerospace & Defense
Division, Solaris Systems, Tatung Company of America Incorporated, Telegen Corporation [OTC
BB:TLGN - news], Texas Optoelectronics, Inc., Thomas Electronics Incorporated, Thomson
Tubes Electroniques, Toshiba Electronics Components, Vista Controls Corporation, Westaim
Corporation, Zenith Electronics Corporation [NYSE:ZE - news], Related Companies: Active
Matrix Associates, Azonix Corporation, DisplaySearch, MetroMark, Proxima Corporation
[Nasdaq:PRXM - news], UNIAX, Universal Display Corporation [Nasdaq:PANL - news],
Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, Related Organizations, National Information Display
Laboratory (NIDL), SEMI, Society for Information Display (SID), U.S. Display Consortium
(USDC), Wright Laboratory.
Frost & Sullivan is an international marketing consulting company that monitors the defense
industry for market trends, market measurements, and strategies. This ongoing research is utilized
to update a series of research publications such as #5390-72 U.S. Desktop Computer Monitor
Markets, and to support industry participants with customized consulting needs.
Visit Frost & Sullivan's web site: frost.com
Report: 5552-16 Publication Date: January 1997 Price: $2950
SOURCE: Frost & Sullivan
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