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Christie Wins Second Contract for U.S. Air Force Boom Operator Weapons System Trainer (BOWST)

CYPRESS, CA – (September 8, 2008) – Christie, a leader in professional display and visualization solutions, was again selected by the U.S. Air Force and QuantaDyn Corporation to power its new Boom Operator Weapons System Trainer (BOWST).  Featuring a custom visual system and structure designed and built by Christie, the BOWST’s compound spherical screen is powered by 10 Christie Matrix 3000 DLP® projectors.  The second to be constructed by Christie for the U.S. Air Force is being deployed at Altus Air Force Base in Oklahoma.

The BOWST is a highly sophisticated trainer that recreates the environment of a KC-135 aircraft. It helps Air Force boom operators acquire the necessary skills to perform their complex aerial refueling maneuvers hurtling through the air at hundreds of miles per hour. Lying on a cot and looking out of a small, rear-facing window in the belly of the craft, the operator learns to connect a long boom for transmitting gallons of highly flammable fuel to the receiving plane below. The Christie Matrix projectors offer high resolution and a seamless 220º x 55º Field of View (FOV) for visual acuity of this complex and intricate procedure.

“The visual system is a critical part of the trainer, contributing to the sense of realism for boom operators and pilots. Christie was the logical choice for the second BOWST given their proven design expertise and top-quality projection systems that ensure a true-to-life experience for this high-fidelity training device,” said William Dunn, president of QuantaDyn Corporation. “Christie’s AutoCal™ and ChristieTWIST™ technologies also played a crucial role in our decision. They offer exceptional ease of set-up and operation to precisely control and align multiple edge-blended images seamlessly on the spherical screen.”

Zoran Veselic, vice president, Visual Environments at Christie, remarked, “Christie’s success building advanced visual systems for mission critical military training reflects upon the quality of our solutions and superior workmanship that meet the military’s highest standards. The U.S. Air Force’s selection of Christie reinforces our leadership in providing the technical skills and design expertise needed to build some of the most sophisticated trainers in the industry.”

Christie partnered with QuantaDyn Corporation, a privately held engineering firm specializing in high fidelity, immersive aerial refueling training devices. As the prime contractor, QuantaDyn is providing a turn-key solution to fulfill the mission requirements of the BOWST trainer.

About QuantaDyn

QuantaDyn is developing the next generation of high fidelity, immersive Aerial Refueling (AR) trainers for the U.S. Military.  Current projects include the Air Force’s KC135 Boom Operator Weapon Systems Trainer (BOWST) and the Air National Guard’s Boom Operator Simulation System (BOSS).  QuantaDyn Corporation is pushing the state-of the-art in technology by incorporating Distributed Mission Operation (DMO) capability into Aerial Refueling trainers.  QuantaDyn was voted one of the top 100 companies to make a significant impact in the military training industry for 2006, 2007 and 2008 by Military Training Technology Magazine.  For more information, visit www.quantadyn.com

About Christie

Christie, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ushio, Inc., Japan, (JP:6925), is a leader in visual solutions for world-class organizations, offering diverse applications for business, entertainment, and industry. A leading innovator in film projection since 1929 and a pioneer in digital projection systems since 1979, Christie has established a global reputation as a total service provider and the world's single source manufacturer of a variety of display technologies and solutions. With the acquisition of Vista Controls Systems, Corp., Christie offers the most complete and advanced solutions for cinema, live venues, control rooms, business presentations, training facilities, 3D and Virtual Reality, simulation and education as well as industrial and government environments.