BAE Systems tests Striker II fighter pilot helmet’s night-vision capabilities

LONDON, 16 Sept. 2015. BAE Systems engineers are conducting night trials of its Striker II helmet-mounted display (HMD) to evaluate the fighter pilot helmet’s digital night-vision capability. Successful trials will lead the way to an integrated digital night-vision helmet, replacing the need for traditional analog night-vision goggles.

“Striker II has a high-definition, lightweight night-vision camera which translates information and displays it on the helmet’s visor. This removes the need for heavy night-vision goggles which increase g-force pressures on the head and neck, limiting the pilot’s maneuverability in the cockpit,” BAE Systems Test Pilot Peter Kosogorin explains. “The helmet provides a clear and accurate visual display and a seamless transition from day to night, eliminating the need to manually configure and adjust night vision goggles.”

For seamless transition from day-to-night, fast jet pilots benefit from the integrated night vision technology on BAE Systems' fully digital Striker II helmet-mounted display. (Photo: BAE Systems)

Striker II, developed and tested by BAE Systems, is designed to provide today’s combat pilot with exceptional night vision and target tracking technology. BAE Systems has begun evaluating the digital night-vision capability through a series of night flight trials.

BAE Systems will continue to evaluate the helmet’s integration with the Eurofighter Typhoon multirole military aircraft in another series of flight trials later this year.

“The second set of trials is the next step in the flight test program to prove Striker II offers true ‘plug and play’ compatibility with the Typhoon and builds upon the initial trials to further evaluate the digital night vision capability,” describes Chris Colston, business development director at BAE Systems.

Striker II’s tracking system ensures the pilot’s exact head position and the aircraft computer system are continuously in sync, reducing problems common to other HMDs. The tracking system in Striker II eliminates any delay in determining where the pilot is looking and can therefore perfectly position symbology onto the visor, officials say. The results are high-precision target tracking and engagement, as well as superior situational awareness and mission effectiveness.

BAE Systems provides avionics systems and advanced cockpit technologies for both military and commercial aviation platforms. Its display systems offer fast-jet pilots a real-world view of terrain, allowing them to see and avoid all obstacles in their flight path, even when visibility outside the aircraft is limited, officials explain.