Dimo (Stand 2364) has used the Dubal show to introduce a new digital cockpit upgrade produced by ASB Avioncs for legacy Lockheed Martin C-130 aircraft, which it says brings their cockpit systems up to the standard of the C-130J.
Company president Sohrab Naghshineh says there is a major requirement in the Middle East to upgrade the avionics and cockpits of legacy C-130 fleets. The company is in contention to upgrade the cockpits of 27 Saudi Arabian C-130Hs and the UAE wants to upgrade the type as well.
Flightglobal's MiliCAS database lists Saudi Arabia as having 33 C-130Hs and seven KC-130Hs. The UAE operates four C-130Hs and four civilian variant L-l00s. To assist in local campaigns, Dimo works with a local partner, Bin Halal Enterprises.
Naghshineh says Dimo's C-130H cockpit upgrade is the only one on the market that includes a digital autopilot.
"A digital autopilot is far more accurate than a traditional analog autopilot," he says. "This region has a number of sensitive borders, so it's vitally important that pilots know exactly where their aircraft is."
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