The Future Of Aerial Combat
New helmets give fighter pilots x-ray like vision

Monday, August 12th, 2013 at 4:02 pm | Jon Foster



Since the dawn of aerial combat, pilots have needed a direct line of sight to engage their target. However, the days of one-on-one Top Gun style dog-fighting may finally be nearing their end. Thanks to new technology developed by the European Air Force, pilots no longer need direct visual confirmation of their target. Instead, they can engage multiple enemies with the help of a radically advanced helmet.

To develop the technology, the European Air Force has employed an elaborate system of Infrared LED sensors that effectively track the orientation of the pilots’ helmet. From there, the system can calculate what the pilot is looking at, and allow him to fire at an enemy target by using his visors heads up display, and a simple command to the computer. In addition, the visor display also offers the pilot vital information relative to the planes flight, trajectory, and acceleration.

However, the helmet does even more--it can alert the pilot when a target out of visual range is in the vicinity. This feature has rightfully been dubbed “x-ray” vision, as it essentially alerts the pilot of a target outside of his standard view. For example, after the planes radar detects an enemy, the system immediately projects an image with the exact location of the target onto the pilots’ visor. This allows the pilot to effectively see where the target is, without having to maneuver the plane into a clear line of sight.

Furthermore, the technology is so advanced that the plane can actually lock onto a second target while still pursuing the first. This allows the pilot to fend off two attackers at once, and all he needs to do is simply "look" at each target. If need be, the pilot can also switch between the targets and prioritize them at will.

Currently, the technology is only used on the European Unions’ Eurofighter Typhoon, and has not been integrated into any other aircraft. The Typhoon is the EU’s primary assault fighter, and has been in use by member countries of the EU for over 30 years. Furthermore, according to Mark Bowman, Chief Test Pilot of the Typhoon, “this is a major advance in terms of combat capability and is something that gives Typhoon pilots a significant advantage when it comes to air combat.” The new Eurofighters, each with a €90 million price tag, are expected to roll out across Europe later this year, and will likely alter the nature of aerial combat for the foreseeable future.










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