Schumer, Clinton Announce Congressional Panel Backs $3.75 Million For Hudson Valley Defense Projects

U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton today announced that the Department of Defense Appropriations bill conference report filed late yesterday included $3.75 million for military projects in the Hudson Valley. The House and Senate must approve the bill before being sent to the President and signed into law.

"This is great news for the Hudson Valley," said Schumer. "Additional funds will not only boost the area economy, but also put the Hudson Valley and New York State at the forefront of defense technology. As the men and women of our military bravely serve our country all over the world, the funding for these Hudson Valley defense projects will vastly improve national security technology and will give our armed forces an even greater edge."

This is wonderful news for the Hudson Valley. This is cuttingedge defense technology being made locally, supporting our men and women in uniform and our national security. These are important investments in local companies and research institutions that will in turn help the economy as well. I look forward to their final approval by the Senate, Senator Clinton said.

Funding in the FY 2007 Department of Defense Appropriations Bill includes

Holographic Optics, Inc. Smart Visor $1 Million To better protect aircrew eyes and faces from mission hazards, while improving their mission effectiveness through better integration with sensors, Smart Visor develops a single, integrated system, capable of protecting against all threats that an array of separate, individual visor systems presently provide for pilots. Many laser threats are invisible to our eyes, but can quickly damage them if not protected. The challenge in laser eye protection is to block harmful wavelengths of light, while allowing passthrough of safe light. Pilots provided with an integrated visor protection system will have a distinct tactical advantage over our adversaries in the future.

eMagin Corporation Power Efficient Microdisplay Development for US Army Night Vision $1.35 Million Power Efficient Night Vision equipment is constantly cited as a major need within the Department of Defense. FY 07 funding will develop a power efficient microdisplay and interface, suitable for inclusion into U.S. military thermal imaging devices, providing at least a 3x reduction in power from legacy technologies. The effort will include the incorporation of new, but already qualified, materials, pixel electronics and cell structure to match the latest thermal camera specifications.

eMagin Corporation Ultrahigh Resolution Display for Army Medicine (UHRDARM) $1.4 Million Funding will allow for the design and prototype of ultrahigh resolution microdisplay (greater than HDTV) for Army Medicine use. In addition, a conceptual optics design will be completed, providing confidence that a wide fieldofview, compact and lightweight head mounted display system can be built meeting Army medicine training and simulation requirements.