The four-nation Eurofighter consortium are betting on BAE Systems to produce the world’s most advanced fighter pilot helmet for their fighter. The consortium, which manages the development, production and sustainment of the Eurofighter Typhoon for the air forces of Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, awarded BAE Systems a £133 million contract to further develop its Striker II Helmet Mounted-Display (HMD). The award follows an initial £40 million investment by the UK Ministry of Defence in September 2023 to begin flight trials.
Photo: SAC Charlotte Hopkins/MOD, OGL v1.0OGL v1.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Striker II HMD represents the cutting edge of fighter helmet technology. It is the only full-colour HMD with an integrated night vision system available anywhere. BAE says the helmet will give Eurofighter pilots a decisive edge in an increasingly complex and dangerous battlespace. Striker II builds on the combat-proven success of the original Striker HMD which is currently in service with the Typhoon and Gripen fleets.
The Striker II boasts an impressive array of advanced features. Its 40-degree field-of-view provides pilots with three times the display area of traditional cueing systems, enabling a wider and clearer view of mission-critical data. The full-colour symbology enhances situational awareness, allowing pilots to quickly identify threats and friendlies. The helmet integrates seamlessly with the aircraft’s distributed aperture system. This system utilises optical sensors embedded in the aircraft to calculate the pilot’s exact head position and angle. The system then projects targeting information and symbology directly onto the pilot’s visor with near-zero latency, regardless of where the pilot is looking.
“The Striker II helmet aims to give the next generation of Typhoon pilots a crucial advantage in what is an increasingly congested and contested battlespace. This continued investment by the Eurofighter nations secures highly skilled jobs and enables our teams to further develop the helmet’s capabilities and move it another step closer to production.” said Richard Hamilton, Managing Director – Europe & International for BAE Systems Air.
The latest round of funding will ensure the Striker II achieves a production-ready standard, according to BAE. The company plans to continue a rigorous flight-test campaign in the coming months.
The Eurofighter consortium also welcomed the news. “As the operational environment continues to evolve, it is essential that we grow Eurofighter’s capabilities to meet current and future threats. The contract to further develop Striker II’s capabilities will ensure that the Eurofighter remains cutting edge and at the forefront of innovation.” said Simon Ellard, General Manager of the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency.
Giancarlo Mezzanatto, Chief Executive of Eurofighter added, “Eurofighter has always been at the forefront of technological advancement and this contract – to further develop Striker II – will ensure that Typhoon pilots continue to fly a world-leading aircraft, wearing a world-leading all-digital helmet. The contract award is also great news for the programme, as the international commitment to the development of the helmet will provide full synergies across our Air Forces.”
The contract is expected to secure over 200 high-skilled jobs at BAE Systems’ facilities in Warton, Lancashire and Rochester, Kent.
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