BAE Systems has begun night trials on the Striker® II helmet-mounted display (HMD), to evaluate its digital night vision capability. S...
BAE Systems has begun night trials on the Striker® II helmet-mounted display (HMD), to evaluate its digital night vision capability.
Striker II provides combat pilot with exceptional night vision and target tracking technology within a fully integrated visor-projected HMD system.
Successful trials will lead the way to a fully integrated digital night vision helmet replacing the need for traditional analogue night vision goggles.
BAE begun evaluating the digital night vision capability through a series of night flight trials from its Military Air & Information business in Warton, Lancashire.
“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 manoeuvrability in the cockpit,” said Peter Kosogorin, test pilot at our Warton site. “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.”
The company will continue to evaluate the helmet’s integration with Typhoon 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,” said Chris Colston, our Business Development Director.
Striker II also includes a cutting-edge tracking system that ensures the pilot’s exact head position and the aircraft computer system are continuously in sync, reducing problems common to other HMD’s.
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. The results are high-precision target tracking and engagement as well as superior situational awareness and mission effectiveness.
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.
With decades of combat-proven experience, the new platform-agnostic Striker II helmet-mounted display (HMD) builds upon BAE Systems’ current Striker HMD, which has been successfully deployed in theatre on Eurofighter typhoon and Gripen fleets.
