F-20 HUD Pilot's Display Unit

Part No 2501-00050
Serial No PL2720
Mfr Code K6111
NSN
Mfr Part No 039200
Contract No 229XA/246616

Northrop developed the F-20 Tigershark (originally called the F-5G) in response to a U.S. Government call for the private development of a tactical fighter specifically tailored to meet the security needs of allied and friendly nations.

The first flight of the Tigershark was made August 30, 1982. The avionics system featured a General Electric multimode radar, Honeywell laser inertial navigation system, General Electric head-up display, Bendix digital display and control set and Teledyne Systems mission computer. However the GE HUD had a very poor Dual Combiner which the pilots were unhappy to use because it gave a pronounced false horizon. There was an urgent need for a HUD and Marconi Avionics was the only company that could supply in time so a contract for two HUDs was awarded. The PDU was a rather neat design with a Dual Combiner using excellent graded coatings from Pilkington. When the Reagan Administration decided to allow the international sale of the F-16, the F-20 programme was doomed and on 17th November 1986 the F-20 Project was cancelled.

The manufacturer (CAGE) code K6111 refers to Qioptiq. The ID marks are only on the optical module but may refer to the entire unit.