Technology Marches On: Pilot headset

[Reynard]

Just saw a video for the F-35 and the innovations for pilot visuals via the helmet. The jet has many visual sensors embedded in the fuselage and the multi-range images are available to the pilot giving them 360 degree vision when looking around as if the jet was transparent.

I can see this as standard for TL 8+ military craft, especially for the vast 3D environment of space fighters, possibly even commercial vessels. I believe the helmet unit alone is in the hundred thousand USD range.

 

[F33D]

Just saw a video for the F-35 and the innovations for pilot visuals via the helmet. The jet has many visual sensors embedded in the fuselage and the multi-range images are available to the pilot

The Brits have had one like that deployed for a few years now.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1343642/New-RAF-helmet-allows-pilots-shoot-enemy-jets-looking-them.html

 

[Solomani666]

Just saw a video for the F-35 and the innovations for pilot visuals via the helmet. The jet has many visual sensors embedded in the fuselage and the multi-range images are available to the pilot giving them 360 degree vision when looking around as if the jet was transparent.

I can see this as standard for TL 8+ military craft, especially for the vast 3D environment of space fighters, possibly even commercial vessels. I believe the helmet unit alone is in the hundred thousand USD range.

A great piece of technology except that it doesn't work.
The canon also can't fire due to a lack of supporting software.
It can't datalink with anything other than another F35.
It can't fly near lightning storms.
The maintenance computers give false positives often grounding the aircraft.
Reliability issues with their avionics processors, landing gear tires, thermal management systems, ejection seat assemblies, cockpit display electronics unit, helmet display units, seat survival kits, igniter-spark in the turbine engines, and on-board oxygen generating systems.
Can't loiter over a target area because of is it's stubby wings.
Can only hold two bombs and two missiles in stealth mode.

 

[Reynard]

Maybe we built it so the chinese would buy it from an unscrupulous american aerospace company and hobble their military.

 

[Solomani666]

Maybe we built it so the chinese would buy it from an unscrupulous american aerospace company and hobble their military.

They have their own 5th Gen fighters:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chengdu_J-20

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenyang_J-31

.

 

[Condottiere]

The idea is to create a glass cockpit, with all relevant information displayed; the next step being some form of thought control, though I don't see that working without a highly disciplined mind, as it's hard to imagine you can make those controls fool proof.

 

[F33D]

the next step being some form of thought control, though I don't see that working without a highly disciplined mind,

No need. In testing and no particularly "highly disciplined mind" required.

 

[Reynard]

"Think Russian! Think Russian!" (Firefox)

 

[Reynard]

So the chinese hacked and stole information about the F-35 to build the J-20. Sounds like it's now doomed to failure.

If the F35 has issues, at least they don't try to commit suicide nosedives like the J-31.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

More of an AR gimmick. Microsoft will find a market for it though, as they eventually do. Just need people to wear flatscreens over their face.

 

[heron61]

The idea is to create a glass cockpit, with all relevant information displayed; the next step being some form of thought control, though I don't see that working without a highly disciplined mind, as it's hard to imagine you can make those controls fool proof.

Cockpit display and other forms of AR sound like an excellent idea if done well. OTOH, the idea of thought control might well lead to enemy fighters mounting focused strobe lights that flash in patterns designed to disrupt the pilot's thoughts sufficiently to either slow reaction time or to cause the pilot to activate the wrong controls with their thoughts.

 

[Condottiere]

Here's the prototype, not recommended to be viewed by those with epileptic vulnerabilities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4dDaxHtQDU

 

[F33D]

The idea is to create a glass cockpit, with all relevant information displayed; the next step being some form of thought control, though I don't see that working without a highly disciplined mind, as it's hard to imagine you can make those controls fool proof.

Cockpit display and other forms of AR sound like an excellent idea if done well. OTOH, the idea of thought control might well lead to enemy fighters mounting focused strobe lights that flash in patterns designed to disrupt the pilot's thoughts sufficiently to either slow reaction time or to cause the pilot to activate the wrong controls with their thoughts.

:lol: Um, no.