RGB Spectrum has equipped Lockheed Martin's F-35 flight simulators with its latest video processing technology. The Zio Video-over-IP platform provides distribution, recording, and display of video, allowing streaming live and recorded video content between each of the F-35's main simulator components, pilot cockpits, Instructor Operator Stations (IOS), and After-Action-Review (AAR) debrief rooms.

Lockheed's F-35 Full-Mission Simulators (FMS) address air-to-air, air-to-ground, and electronic warfare missions. Beyond preparing fighter pilots for combat, the FMS also provides synchronous aircraft missions for squadron training. Lockheed Martin is upgrading FMS simulators with RGB Spectrum’s advanced Zio networked video platform including H.264/H.265 encoders, decoders, multiviewers, and recorders.

Lockheed's FMS upgrade objectives were to achieve greater system interoperability with H.264 Video-over-IP support, improve simulation efficacy, and reduce overall system costs. The new Zio platform met these objectives. The simulators stream content in real-time to the Instructor's Operator Station (IOS) to enable instructors to view actions by pilots. Instructors can use full playback controls, including frame-by-frame jog/shuttle and variable speed forward/reverse playback for a thorough review. The Zio platform includes an extensive array of components, all managed through an intuitive user interface featuring video thumbnail previews and drag-and-drop simplicity.

“The Zio platform is a new and different approach to Video-over-IP,” said Bob Marcus, president, RGB Spectrum. “It sets a new standard for IP video distribution and display in terms of features and simplicity of design.”

RGB Spectrum’s Zio platform and other video solutions are deployed in military applications worldwide, including P-8 Poseidon trainers, simulators for the Global Hawk/Triton UAV, F-16 and F-22 aircraft, Apache, Kiowa, Chinook helicopters, at the NASA/Kennedy Space Center, U.S. Army Operational Test Command, on ships of the U.S., Japanese and Canadian navies, and in the THAAD, MEADS, CRAM and BAMS missile defense systems.