Helmet-mounted sights and displays - Thales Group

Helmet-mounted sightsand displayswww.thalesgroup.com

With a full line of products based on the TopOwl and Scorpion helmet-mounted displays, Thales meetsthe operational requirements of all types of fixed or rotary-wing aircraft flying any type of mission.Fixed-wing combat aircraft and helicopters are deployed on a growing number of missions in complex operational situations.Pilots need to access aircraft systems monitoring and mission information at all times, even during high-speed and/orlow-level flight manoeuvres. The helmet-mounted display provides a permanent day/night «eyes out» piloting capability,displaying flight or mission parameters in the pilot’s field of view to avoid having to consult the Head Down Displays atcritical moments. Many different types of missions are conducted in specific operational contexts by various types of aircraftoperating according to different deployment doctrines. As a result, a broad range of technical solutions is needed to meetoperational requirements as cost-effectively as possible. The helmet-mounted display plays an integral part in assuringmission success and contributes directly to improved flight safety.Thales’s responsesWith both TopOwl® and Scorpion®, Thales offers tooperational pilots the best possible HMD solutions coveringthe spectrum of operational needs with the best cost ofownership and highest efficiency.Top Owl®Thales is the world’s leading provider of helmet-mounteddisplays for helicopter pilots with its TopOwl helmet-mountedsight and display (HMSD) originally developed for theTiger programme. Designed by pilots for pilots, TopOwlsystematically builds on the latest operational feedbackto support the success of increasingly delicate missionsconducted in hostile territory, both during the day and atnight, for example in Afghanistan, Libya and Mali. The NH90programme has also confirmed the operational benefits ofTopOwl.TopOwl is the only helmet-mounted system to provide wide-fieldbinocular imaging with integrated night vision functionality. Itoverlays standard symbology on the light-intensified image aswell as images from onboard sensors such as HD FLIR and videocameras. With its unique customised helmet-fit system, TopOwloffers a perfect balance on each pilot’s head to guarantee thehigh-precision head tracking needed for head-slaved cueing ofthe main weapon system.The customised helmet-fit system also makes TopOwl extremelycomfortable and makes a significant contribution to flight safetyand mission effectiveness.Scorpion®Scorpion is the world’s first full color helmet mounteddisplay, providing color symbology and video during fullday and night missions. Scorpion is designed for use infighters, helicopters and transport aircraft, especiallyin situations where a lightweight monocular solution isideal. The combination of high speed, accurate hybridtracker, full color symbology and video display capabilitytogether enable pilots to quickly assimilate complextactical situations, both day and night, greatly enhancingsituational awareness and the process for rapidly executingthe right decisions. Interfacing with standard NightVision Goggles, Scorpion provides combined full colorsymbology and video superimposed on NVG imagery.2

Thales solutionsThales offers a complete range of helmet-mounted sighting, cueing and display systems for fixed or rotary-wing aircraft.TopOwl®• Day/night piloting and targeting: unique binocular system witha fully overlapped wide field of view (40°) displaying the rightdata in the right place at the right time to ensure mission success.• Integrated night vision: perfect night performance andcomplete peripheral view thanks to integrated intensifier tubes.• HD FLIR image display.• Seamless transition between day/night/HD FLIR.• Unique customised helmet-fit system: no boresighting neededand perfect centre of gravity for unequalled comfort in daylightand at night.Combat proven :• Afghanistan (Tiger, NH90, US Marine Corps HueyUH-1Y )• Libya (Tiger)• Mali (Tiger)Full-rate production• More than 1,000 systems delivered• More than 700 additional systems already on orderThe combat-proven TopOwl solution from Thales provides pilots with a permanent day/night "eyes out" capability toensure the success of even the most complex missions. TopOwl is precise, comfortable and robust, helping to improve theoperational effectiveness of onboard weapon systems while enhancing flight safety.Scorpion®• Scorpion displays full-color symbology and video for dayand night missions, providing significantly better situationalawareness as well as targeting and sensor video imagery.• Scorpion offers a unique hybrid opto-inertial head trackingsystem for maximum accuracy and reliability with minimalintrusion into the cockpit.• For night missions, Scorpion® operates seamlessly withstandard-issue night vision goggles to provide combinedfull-color symbology and video along with unrestricted NVGimagery.• Specifically designed for easy installation on new platforms aswell as retrofit programmes, Scorpion® provides the lowestoverall integration and life cycle costs.In full-rate production and installed on US AirForce F-16, A-10 and C-130Recently selected as part of the US ArmyAviation’s Common Helmet Mounted Display(CHMD) system, which will be fielded as thestandard HMD equipment across multiple US Armyhelicopter typesAlso successfully demonstrated onnumerous other fixed-wing aircraft andhelicoptersPress ContactThales, Media Relations - Defence AerospaceEmmanuelle Le Folemmanuelle.lefol@thalesgroup.comTel: +33 (0)6 82 65 64 343