Forum: F-35 Avionics

Lockheed Martin Awards F-35 Contract By: Zacks Equity Research Nov 17, 2011

http://www.zacks.com/stock/news/64824/L ... ract?adid=

"ESLT Vision Systems International (VSI), a joint venture between Elbit Systems of America, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd. and Rockwell Collins Inc., has won a contract from the Aerospace division of defense behemoth Lockheed Martin Corporation to enhance the helmet mounted display system (HMDS) on the F-35.

Comprising of two additional phases in the development, the contract will enable VSI to improve the F-35 HMDS currently in production for the 5th generation Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.

The VSI team is already in the process of mitigating display jitter affecting the display symbology, enhance the helmet system's night-vision performance capabilities, and incorporate the latest digital imaging sensor capabilities into the HMDS to improve night vision performance. The joint venture has been working on these attributes since March 2011.

In the process, VSI has modified the current magnetic receiver unit (MRU) contained in the pilot's HMDS to detect both seat and aircraft vibration frequencies and filter them out in both the hardware and software contained in the HMDS display processor. It has already tested and proven the capabilities of the new MRU.

In an effort to enhance the night-vision performance capabilities, VSI is incorporating new digital night-vision sensors in both the fixed camera mounted in the cockpit and the helmet camera with the pilot's helmet mounted display (HMD). The resulting images will be sharper and more viewable at extremely low light levels....

...This contract award demonstrates the confidence Lockheed Martin has in VSI to advance the fifth generation HMDS capabilities that are integral to the success of the F-35 program. VSI expects to deliver the enhanced HMDS beginning in the third quarter of 2013...."

MORE at the URL jump if required...

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Lockheed Martin Awards Vision Systems International Contract for F-35 Helmet Mounted Display Systems Enhancements

http://www.vsi-hmcs.com/index.php/news/ ... l-contract

"...“We have been receiving very positive feedback from both the System Development and Demonstration (SSD) and Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) pilots using the HMD system, and from those who participated in the successful catapult testing in early August and the shipboard Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) flight tests on the Wasp over a three-week period in October,” Brugal said...."

Lots of what looks like out of date info (to me anyway) - good luck finding the date the article was produced. If anyone can find please post that date here - tah. Interesting points to consider but due to article age I'll imagine that these have all been addressed by now. Hokay? Smile

Aerospace - DEFENCE MANAGEMENT JOURNAL, Issue 41 | Keeping your head
"Frost & Sullivan's Bruno Mucciolo turns the spotlight onto the design and capabilities of the Joint Strike Fighter Helmet Mounted Display, and how it can enhance pilot performance in combat....

http://www.shephardmedia.com/static/ima ... 5GENII.jpg

"...The debate
...The JSF HMD in its essence is being designed to enhance pilot's performance in combat in a highly sophisticated stealth platform. Little experience with HMDS does not give us a clear picture of how enhanced such performance will be. The expectations from the Military are high. Once again the JSF HMD employment takes us to two main assessments: first, the complex integrated technology that will virtually transmit the external world into the cockpit in real-time cannot fail; and secondly, the HMD itself has to perfectly receive, process and transmit the 'world' to the pilot whilst providing he or she with adequate protection. Further to that, this debate could go 20-30 years beyond and evaluate the risks, challenges and opportunities of using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UCAV) to fulfil the fighter aircraft role and the end of human machine interface in air combats. But for now, F-35 customers are waiting for the latest evaluations of a helmet that would become one of the most important subsystems of a fighter aircraft."

Confirmation that the USS Wasp F-35 Trial used the HMD from VSI.

Quote:

SAN JOSE, Calif. --- Lockheed Martin Aerospace has awarded Vision Systems International (VSI) two additional phases in the development of the helmet mounted display system (HMDS) on the F-35. The contract will enable VSI to enhance the F-35 HMDS currently in production for the 5th generation Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.

....

"We have been receiving very positive feedback from both the System Development and Demonstration (SSD) and Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) pilots using the HMD system, and from those who participated in the successful catapult testing in early August and the shipboard Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) flight tests on the Wasp over a three-week period in October," Brugal said. Deliveries of the enhanced HMDS are scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2013.

Much more after the jump.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articl ... elmet.html

Same info at this URL posted 2nd entry above yourn? Therefor a repeat so please don't jump there because it says same thing....

Lockheed Martin Awards Vision Systems International Contract for F-35 Helmet Mounted Display Systems Enhancements

http://www.vsi-hmcs.com/index.php/news/ ... l-contract

"...“We have been receiving very positive feedback from both the System Development and Demonstration (SSD) and Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) pilots using the HMD system, and from those who participated in the successful catapult testing in early August and the shipboard Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) flight tests on the Wasp over a three-week period in October,” Brugal said...."

hehe... been sick in bed for a few days and did not read everything through... my bad Smile

No worries Spuddie. It is good news re HMDS eh? And hope you are much better! Very Happy

Getting better.. darn flu bug floating around.

spazsinbad wrote:

The resulting images will be sharper and more viewable at extremely low light levels...

So, what's the deal here?
Can't get enough contrast against the night sky, or the projector has troubles outputting clear enough low light output, for night use?

Besides, this apparently goes for HMD symbology only, that's at about maximum contrast of the projector's output.
What happens to DAS IR imagery, that's filled with half-tones which are obligatory for displaying "look through the floor" plastic image of the world, on the helmet?

Last edited by spazsinbad on Nov 27, 2011 - 08:43 AM; edited 4 times in total

Perhaps the reason for helmet change to white is for 'over water for "in water visibility"' safety purposes? Wayback RAN FAA Helmets were reflective tape white with a red tape cross on top. This colour combination day/night allowed the helo rescue chaps to find/hover over us if in water much more easily. We were forbidden to alter this combination (although later some aircrew changed the helmet visor cover slightly - but this did not impact the red cross on white). The RAN Helo pilots were insistent that this scheme NOT be changed.

Is the F-35 stealth jet so advanced that it can be flown using one hand only? Picture raise question
November 10, 2011 by David Cenciotti

http://theaviationist.com/2011/11/10/f-35-hotas/

"...Obviously I’m kidding.

Indeed the above picture depicts Marine Corps Maj. Richard Rusnok on board the second F-35B test aircraft “BF-4? as he returns to land aboard USS Wasp on Oct.6, 2011, during STOVL ship suitability testing aboard the land amphibious assault ship off the coast of Virginia. He’s simply resting his left arm on the canopy edge. As someone commented, at least this shows that the F-35 cockpit is quite comfortable!..."

http://cencio4.files.wordpress.com/2011 ... b-bf-4.jpg

ERROR CODE had me trying to post the same material again. sigh.

Um.. how about autopilot = handsfree?

That hardly looks like a comfortable resting angle for his wrist. Look how the fingers are curled to the outside. Try doing that yourself in your car. Also notice his head is turned slightly to look at his hand. He's manipulating something over there. I don't see any pictures that indicate any controls are there, but the canopy frame is pretty wide at that point and may have a bit of a channel set in. Maybe he rested a pencil on it while doing his landing checklist and was snapped while picking it back up.

SpudmanWP wrote:

Um.. how about autopilot = handsfree?

F-18 pilots have their hands on the "towel rack" during cat shots.

river_otter wrote:

That hardly looks like a comfortable resting angle for his wrist. Look how the fingers are curled to the outside. Try doing that yourself in your car. Also notice his head is turned slightly to look at his hand. He's manipulating something over there. I don't see any pictures that indicate any controls are there, but the canopy frame is pretty wide at that point and may have a bit of a channel set in. Maybe he rested a pencil on it while doing his landing checklist and was snapped while picking it back up.

I concur. He looks like he is concentrating on something, probably only momentary.

Forum: F-35 Avionics

Helmet-mounted displays