NEWS BRIEFS

Mountain View, CALIF. — SGI announced that it has delivered on schedule two of five SGI Onyx 3000 series high-performance graphics systems to power the U.S. Air Force’s F-16 Mission Training Centers (MTCs).

The initial two SGI Onyx 3400 graphics systems, each with seven graphics pipes, were delivered in August to Boeing Aerospace Support, St. Louis, Mo., for the F-16 MTC program, a contract won in June 1999 by Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems, Akron, Ohio. Deliveries of three additional seven-pipe SGI Onyx 3400 systems to Lockheed Martin and Boeing will be completed by the end of September.

With the ability to scale from four to 32 CPUs and drive up to eight full graphics pipelines and eight simultaneous graphics users, SGI Onyx 3400 is designed to meet the most demanding and changing needs of customers such as the U.S. Air Force. The SGI Onyx 3000 series of high-performance graphics systems has the power and real-time visualization capability to concurrently process imagery, video, 3D terrain and geospatial data.

The new SGI Onyx 3000 series, which includes SGI Onyx 3400, is one of the world’s most powerful visualization system series, providing breathtaking performance. Designed to simultaneously process 3D graphics, 2D imagery and video data, the SGI Onyx 3000 series scales from single-user systems to those that combine the ultimate in supercomputing and visualization technologies.

“We selected SGI because it is a world leader in real-time computational systems and represents the best value solution for the Air Force,” said Charles McCoy, program director, Lockheed Martin F-16 MTC. “SGI Onyx 3400 will supply a high-end image generator for photo-realistic, out-the-window visual scenes that will support air-to-air and air-to-ground scenarios in a full-scene (360-degree) environment.”

In June 1999, Lockheed Martin was awarded a $176 million contract to build F-16 MTCs for the U.S. Air Force. Lockheed Martin in Akron has system simulations for two F-16 MTCs in production for delivery to two sites. The first site will be operational in late 2001. In early 2002, the first site will be upgraded and a second site activated. Lockheed Martin will supply up to 18 MTCs for use at air bases worldwide. Each F-16 MTC, comprised of one to four training devices, with long-haul and local network functionality, will simulate the full range of F-16 operations and is designed to integrate with the U.S. Air Force’s Distributed Mission Training (DMT) operations.

“The SGI technology powering these F-16 simulators will enable pilots to move seamlessly from low-altitude, on-the-deck, air-to-ground missions to high-altitude air-to-air combat,” said Anthony Robbins, president, SGI Federal. “The SGI Onyx 3400 graphics systems will allow the simulators to realistically operate in the same multirole function the F-16 plays in actual combat missions.”

Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics and Surveillance Systems in Akron, Ohio, the lead company on the F-16 MTC program, is a premier supplier of tactical aircraft simulation and training devices, laser-based countermeasure systems, lighter-than-air surveillance systems and antisubmarine weapons systems. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a highly diversified global enterprise principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced-technology systems, products and services.

SGI provides a broad range of high-performance computing and advanced graphics solutions that enable customers to understand and conquer their toughest computing problems. Headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., with offices worldwide, the company is located on the Web at http://www.sgi.com .

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