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| F-35 Gen II Helmet Mounted Display System. Photo: Rockwell Collins |
[Avionics Today 08-12-2015] Rockwell Collins has delivered the first Gen III F-35 Helmet-Mounted Display System (HMDS) for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lighting II.
Rockwell Collins, through its joint venture Rockwell Collins ESA Vision Systems, is providing the F-35 HMDS, which offers pilots increased levels of situational awareness and allows them to “look through” the airframe. Additionally, the F-35’s Distributed Aperture System (DAS), made by Northrop Grumman, streams real-time imagery from six infrared cameras mounted around the aircraft to the helmet.
The Gen III helmet, which includes an improved night vision camera, Liquid-Crystal Displays (LCDs), automated alignment, and software improvements, will be introduced to the fleet in low-rate initial production Lot 7 in 2016. Rockwell Collins ESA Vision Systems also developed the Gen 2 helmet that F-35 pilots currently use.