Flight Trials of Helmet-Mounted Display

[jwcook]

ROCHESTER, U.K.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 29, 2005--Flight trials of the BAE Systems Striker helmet-mounted display system have begun on the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. The full development trial sorties marked the first flights of a binocular, visor-projected, night-vision-capable helmet on a fighter aircraft.


Additional trials are planned throughout 2005, and production-ready versions of the helmet will fly in the latter part of 2005 -- clearing the way for production for Typhoon Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 aircraft.

"The successful start of flight trials marks a significant success in the Typhoon helmet program and is a milestone in the development of display helmet technology," said Mike Austill, managing director of Avionic Systems for BAE Systems.

The Typhoon helmet-mounted display is a high-resolution, binocular system driven by powerful processor and graphics modules. Its helmet tracker is a high-speed, high-accuracy, low-latency optical system. The helmet displays "virtual head-up display" symbology and video imagery from the aircraft sensors and from a helmet-mounted, image-intensified night vision system.

The helmet's fully integrated design ensures the compatibility of head protection, life support, and electro-optics, and also incorporates the fully integrated respirator for protection in nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare environments.

Prior to the start of flight trials, the helmet design passed a series of stringent tests, including impact and penetration to U.K. and European standards, 600-plus-knot windblast, and 600-plus-knot ejection. In addition, high "g" comfort and stability testing has been carried out on BAE Systems helmets supplied for the Hawk trainer aircraft.

External Links for this article:

Businesswire

We have no control over the content or validity of information contained within external sources.