Helmet new targeting tool for Eurofighter top guns
It might have made Maverick and Iceman a little faster on the draw if they'd had the new "look and fire" helmet developed for Eurofighter Typhoon pilots.
February 02, 2011 / 23:15 IST
It might have made Maverick and Iceman a little faster on the draw if they'd had the new "look and fire" helmet developed for Eurofighter Typhoon pilots.
In conventional jet fighters such as those which appeared in the 1986 Tom Cruise film "Top Gun", the pilot has to point the aircraft in the direction of the enemy plane before firing.But a new helmet designed for Eurofighter Typhoon pilots by British defence contractor BAE Systems allows fighter pilots to "see" targets all around the aircraft -- a vital advantage in split-second decision-making.Head-up displays, which allow the pilot to view fundamental flight information such as speed, heading and height without looking down at the instruments are not new - but the Typhoon pilot gets that and more projected onto the inside of the helmet's visor, along with the ability to manipulate the weapons system with voice commands."This is absolutely revolutionary," BAE Systems Chief Test Pilot Mark Bowman said. "The helmet display is most probably as significant as almost the jet engine in what it is going to do for combat capability and what the pilot can do."The images, which can be viewed at any angle, show the precise positions of any enemy aircraft or missiles, so pilots do not have to take their eyes off the target -- a leap in progress.The so-called the Helmet Mounted Symbology System (HMSS) integrates the helmet with the aircraft's weapons and navigation systems through a series of sensors in the cockpit monitoring the pilot's head movements, ensuring the aircraft knows exactly where and what the pilot is looking at.They can now track multiple targets, lock-on to them, and prioritise them by voice -- although pressing the fire button is still a manual task."Traditionally the helmet has been seen very much as a crash helmet and a walkie talkie," Bowman said. "What we have got now is actually a piece of not only optical equipment but something that is really technically advanced that most probably I, certainly as a young boy, only ever dreamt of but now it is very much a reality."BAE developed the HMSS for air forces in Germany, Italy, Spain and Britain at a cost of about 250,000 pounds (USD 405,300) each. Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
