Aviation Week & Space Technology
08/16/2004, page 28

David Hughes
Washington

A new helmet shines in air-to-ground action, increasing interest in enhancements

Aiming for More

The Joint Helmet Mounted Cuing System has entered full-rate production following its combat-proven performance in Iraq, as U.S. military and contractors work on additional uses and upgrades. A two-seat fighter installation and new wide-view night-vision capability are being scrutinized.

The first full-rate production order just placed for 300 helmets valued at $75.6 million brings the total systems ordered to 1,000. Boeing is integrating the system on F/A-18s and F-15s while Lockheed Martin is integrating them on the F-16. Vision Systems International (VSI), a joint venture between Elbit and Rockwell Collins, has delivered 600 of the helmets to the U.S. and its allies. Boeing is the prime contractor and responsible for integration.

These systems have been produced under four low-rate initial production orders and the Joint Helmet-Mounted Cuing System (Jhmcs) has seen combat service in Operation Iraqi Freedom, with solid results in air-to-ground action, according to Ken Stansell, VSI president. The pilot can cue an aiming pod to a target simply by turning his head. The ability to look, shoot and leave a heavily defended area is the reason the system is seen as a valuable tool in air-to-ground combat over Iraq.

Now a new type of installation is being prepared with two helmets in one aircraft, F/A-18Fs. Boeing is preparing to test the first two-seat installation of the system in the fighter later this year. When the weapons officer in the back seat of a U.S. Navy F/A-18 is equipped with a helmet, the targets he selects will also be seen by the front-seat pilot on his Jhmcs. Without a helmet-cuing system, the weapons officer has to describe to the pilot where to locate the target he is seeing. VSI officials say this is a key reason the Navy is interested in equipping their F model F/A-18s.

VSI EXPECTS U.S. military requirements to account for about 2,000 Jhmcs systems and it is aiming to sell as many as 1,000 to U.S. allies, according to Louis Taddeo, VSI marketing director. The latest order for 300 systems includes helmets for Australian F/A-18A and Bs, Finland's F/A-18C and Ds; Switzerland's F/A-18C and Ds; as well as F-16s flown by Poland and Greece. Lockheed Martin is equipping the F-16 block 52s it is producing for international customers with the system as well. Other U.S. fighter aircraft may also be candidates for the system such as the F-15-E, AV-8B and A-10. Installation of the system on the F/A-22 has been deferred until 2012.

VSI is also migrating some of the technology it is developing for the Lockheed Martin F-35 helmet-mounted display (an advanced binocular system) into the Jhmcs program. For example, mapping the magnetic field in the cockpit, as required for the head-tracking system to work, is much easier with software developed for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

THE JSF HELMET will provide a wider field of view and since there will be no head-up display in the F-35, the helmet will provide HUD-type data to the pilot in a virtual display. A night-vision camera will provide digitized images to the pilot through the display so night-vision goggles will not have to be attached to the helmet. The F-35 helmet has passed its critical design review and is slated for rocket sled testing with a Martin Baker ejection seat later this year. Integration testing with avionics boxes are set for summer 2005.

Work is also underway to develop an enhanced night-vision capability for use with the Jhmcs that will provide a panoramic view (100 X 40 deg. deep). Conventional night-vision goggles provide only a 40 X 40-deg. view. A wide view would be useful in both air-to-air and air-to-ground engagements.

In air-to-air engagements, Jhmcs is designed to cue the high off-bore sight missiles like the AIM-9X Sidewinder, now entering operational service. This will allow head-on engagements, with only the turn of the pilot's head needed to target an oncoming enemy fighter. The missile seeker will slew to match the helmet-cued position. After the missile is fired it will be able to make a 180-deg. turn to pursue the enemy fighter as it streaks past.

Rockwell Collins provides the helmet-mounted display system with optics and display avionics to VSI while Elbit supplies the electronics unit, display processor and head-tracking hardware and software. One electronics unit can handle two Jhmcs systems in an F/A-18F.

same capability on the F-16 with DASH?

I suspect the DASH 3 /4 is not as advanced as JMHCS, as the same Israeli company Elbit/VSI is involved in both projects, some JMHCS components are actually evolved from the DASH3/4.