Army considers developing wide-field-of view digital head-mounted displays for attack helicopter pilots

Sept. 5, 2011
FORT BELVOIR, Va., 5 Sept 2011. U.S. Army researchers are considering an advanced wide field-of-view, see-through, high definition, digital, helmet-mounted display for AH-64 Apache attack helicopter pilots, as well as for helicopter crew members of other aircraft to aid in life support. The new digital helmet-mounted display would replace the existing analog CRT-based integrated helmet and display sight system that Apache pilots use, and would be available to all Army aviation crews. Officials of the Army's Night Vision & Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) at Fort Belvoir, Va., issued a request for information last week (RFI-00001) to determine which companies might be able to develop a high-definition, digital, aviation helmet mounted display for Apache pilots.
FORT BELVOIR, Va., 5 Sept 2011. U.S. Army researchers are considering an advanced wide field-of-view, see-through, high definition, digital, helmet-mounted display for AH-64 Apache attack helicopter pilots, as well as for helicopter crew members of other aircraft to aid in life support. The new digital helmet-mounted display would replace the existing analog CRT-based integrated helmet and display sight system that Apache pilots use, and would be available to all Army aviation crews.Officials of the Army's Night Vision & Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) at Fort Belvoir, Va., issued a request for information last week (RFI-00001) to determine which companies might be able to develop a high-definition, digital, aviation helmet-mounted display for Apache pilots.Army researchers want to hear from companies interested in developing components and optical methods for wide-field-of-view monocular and biocular helmet-mounted displays and technologies that could be integrated into the Army's Modular Aircrew Common Helmet (MACH) -- the next generation flight helmet that will replace the current HGU-56/P helmet starting in 2013.

The Army is looking for see-through, monocular displays compatible with the MACH, with potential for binocular displays in the future, with 30-by-52-degree field of view.

Companies interested should submit white papers no later than 14 Oct. 2011 to the Army's Anthony Hill by e-mail at [email protected], or by post at 10221 Burbeck Road, Fort Belvoir, Va., 22060-5806.

More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/notices/17f519a50bc691cd8ee412f3299872c2.

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About the Author

John Keller | Editor

John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.

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