Having great reaction speeds is one thing, but for a fighter pilot to be performing at their best these days they need the most advanced equipment available to them. And when it comes to helmets, they don’t come any more advanced than BAE’s Striker II.
Featuring a high-definition curved display, the all-digital helmet has latency-free motion tracking, allowing a pilot to spot and mark a target and perfectly position symbology projected on the visor. Keeping the pilot’s head and the aircraft computer targeting systems exactly in sync, if you can see something whilst wearing the Striker II, you can fire a missile at it.
A key innovation in the Striker II is the integration of night vision technology. It makes use of a centre-mounted ISIE-11 sensor based on Intevac Photonics’ patented advanced imaging sensor technology, known as the gnarly-sounding “electron bombarded active pixel sensor” according to BAE. This allows the display to be adapted on-the-fly to night time conditions, letting a pilot fly at any time around the clock without the need for different equipment. Previously, extra night vision google gear had to be worn with a pilot’s helmet, adding to the weight and reducing manoeuvrability.
The Striker II has been revealed as part of the Farnborough International Air Show, running through to July 20, with public showcases starting on July 19.
