Forum: F-35 Avionics

oops - wrong - moved to 'voice recognition thread'

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April/May 2012 AUSN Magazine (Assoc. USN) PDF 6Mb

http://www.ausn.org/Portals/0/pdfs/maga ... y-2012.pdf

How the F-35 is designed to work By CASEY W. COANE

"Lt. Col. Taylor:...The F-35s are designed from the ground up to tell the pilot, “Here are your targets” and “You may engage or not.” It does that in a fashion where the pilot may not even know what sensor is giving him that information. He can find out if he wants to, but ultimately, does he really care? Not really. What the pilot wants to know, “Where is the bad guy?” and “Can I engage him or not?” That is how the F-35 is designed to work.

AUSN: One difference with this airplane is that your visual cues are presented on your helmet visor vice the HUD (headsup display). Is that difficult to get used to?
Lt. Col. Taylor: There is some amount of learning, but it isn’t as different as you might think. The F-35 has a virtual HUD with the off-boresight symbology just like the F/A-18 JHMCS. Then, when you look forward, it has what appears to be a stabilized HUD, only projected in your visor. There is nothing physically there like in the F/A-18. What is different about the F-35 is that it uses both eyes [for the imagery], not just one, so there is a bit of a learning process. It is a bit like learning to use binoculars or learning to read with bifocals.

AUSN: The helmet will also be your night vision goggles, is that true?
Lt. Col. Taylor: The helmet also has a night vision camera built into it and that image is projected onto the visor. You also have DAS (distributed aperture system) imagery that is also projected on the visor from fixed cameras all around the airplane.

AUSN: We have heard that there are some issues regarding integrating all that data into the helmet?
Lt. Col. Taylor: The current helmet, in general, works very well. The one area where it needs improvement is in reference stabilizing to the airplane. Like the virtual HUD, it is stabilized to the airplane whereas the off-boresight symbology is stabilized to the helmet. Lockheed and the subcontractors understand that problem and they have proposals that look reasonable to me. I think it is worth saying that the problem with the current helmet is a very small percentage of the total capability of the helmet. We fly with it every single day.

AUSN: As a pilot with at least several thousand hours of F/A-18 time, what lights you up about this aircraft?
Lt. Col. Taylor: What lights me up is the integrated fashion of the mission systems combined with the performance of the individual sensors. In the F/A-18, and in any airplane, there are times when you struggle to have good situational awareness. That’s everything to a tactical pilot. I think this airplane is going to be a leap ahead in how well it keeps the pilot aware of what is going on around him. Awareness is what enables the pilot to stop worrying about trying to get information and allows him to think tactically...."

I wonder how many switches have been kicked off that F-22 trhottle by clumsy pilots or ground crew?

Last edited by spazsinbad on Apr 24, 2012 - 10:45 PM; edited 1 time in total

F-22 Throttle Grip Graphic from:

http://essexindustries.com/aero-defense ... ew?nid=241

F-22 Raptor Throttle Grip P/N 1495HC13123-103, -107

"The F-22 Raptor Throttle Grip is the main pilot/aircraft interface for flight, avionics and armament systems. Manufactured of precision cast aluminum, this grip is resistant to environmental conditions per MIL-STD-810."
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F-22 Cockpit Front Graphic from: http://www.0x4d.net/files/AF1/R11%20Segment%2012.pdf

F-22 Raptor Stick Grip P/N 1495HC13122-105 [3 View Compilation from:]

http://essexindustries.com/aero-defense ... iew?nid=64

"The F-22 Raptor Sidestick Grip is the main pilot/aircraft interface for flight, avionics and armament systems. Manufactured of precision cast aluminum, this grip is resistant to environmental conditions per MIL-STD-810. The stick grip provides a variety of single and multi-function switch assemblies for flight control, nosewheel steering, aerial refueling, display management and stores management."

spazsinbad wrote:

Lt. Col. Taylor wrote:

The F-35 has a virtual HUD with the off-boresight symbology just like the F/A-18 JHMCS. Then, when you look forward, it has what appears to be a stabilized HUD, only projected in your visor. There is nothing physically there like in the F/A-18.

So some stuff is still only presented in front of your body regardless of which way your head is turned; turn your head and this information doesn't stay in front of your face (although some other information does). In terms of positioning, that would be the same as with a conventional HUD, just without the need for a second display device physically located there. I guess they did that to avoid letting the view get too cluttered and the clutter be inescapable. But what information is it that they put there?

Have a look at the fore and aft views on this thread page: http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopi ... t-180.html

Fixes for F-35 Helmet in the Works May. 8, 2012

http://www.defensenews.com/article/2012 ... |FRONTPAGE

"The head of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program touted a fix for the jet’s troubled, high-tech helmet, which officials hope will solve jitter picture and lag time issues.

A “micro-inertial measurement unit” is expected to fix the jitter, while “signal processing changes in the software and the architecture” could fix the lag, Vice Adm. David Venlet, the F-35 program manager said after testifying at a May 8 U.S. Senate hearing.

“What I am focused on is seeing he demonstration of those fixes working and being effective,” Venlet said. “That will be paced out through the remainder of this year and into 2013.”

Program officials also plan to improve a camera installed on the helmet which they believe will fix “the acuity and night vision,” he said.

The fixes will be eventually demonstrated through a flight test or in a laboratory environment, Venlet said. The program has funding to work on the fixes to the primary helmet, made by Vision Systems International, as well as a back-up helmet system.

In 2011, Lockheed Martin, the F-35 prime contractor, selected an alternated helmet made by BAE Systems.

“I’m not going to let go of that alternate until I’ve got demonstrated performance of the one I really want,” Venlet said."

spazsinbad wrote:

Fixes for F-35 Helmet in the Works May. 8, 2012

http://www.defensenews.com/article/2012 ... |FRONTPAGE

"The head of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program touted a fix for the jet’s troubled, high-tech helmet, which officials hope will solve jitter picture and lag time issues.

A “micro-inertial measurement unit” is expected to fix the jitter, while “signal processing changes in the software and the architecture” could fix the lag, Vice Adm. David Venlet, the F-35 program manager said after testifying at a May 8 U.S. Senate hearing.

“What I am focused on is seeing he demonstration of those fixes working and being effective,” Venlet said. “That will be paced out through the remainder of this year and into 2013.”

Program officials also plan to improve a camera installed on the helmet which they believe will fix “the acuity and night vision,” he said.

The fixes will be eventually demonstrated through a flight test or in a laboratory environment, Venlet said. The program has funding to work on the fixes to the primary helmet, made by Vision Systems International, as well as a back-up helmet system.

In 2011, Lockheed Martin, the F-35 prime contractor, selected an alternated helmet made by BAE Systems.

“I’m not going to let go of that alternate until I’ve got demonstrated performance of the one I really want,” Venlet said."

Good feedback, the Program,seems to have the helmet issues covered.

Totally random thought, but what about a completely unconventional interim alternative proposal... say two 6x9 display +/- mounted within the cockpit at the pilots 9 and 3 o'clock? Let's say $1,000 COTS per display. Display the essential data on those displays as the pilot is turning his head (wow, a 30 yr old fighter pilot needs to turn his head when in combat) and simply cue it with a cueing piece attached to the helmet; whether with NVG or not?

And simply integrate voice commands to supplement the executions, as appropriate?

Travelling F-35 Simulator was in Canberra, ACT, Australia today. Photo shows the HMDS display over the runway above the PCD.

Strike fighter controls all about the kill David Ellery | May 15, 2012

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/nationa ... 1yncy.html

PHOTO: http://images.canberratimes.com.au/2012 ... -420x0.jpg

geogen wrote:

Totally random thought, but what about a completely unconventional interim alternative proposal... say two 6x9 display +/- mounted within the cockpit at the pilots 9 and 3 o'clock? Let's say $1,000 COTS per display. Display the essential data on those displays as the pilot is turning his head (wow, a 30 yr old fighter pilot needs to turn his head when in combat) and simply cue it with a cueing piece attached to the helmet; whether with NVG or not?

And simply integrate voice commands to supplement the executions, as appropriate?

Probably not a bad idea, in my opinion. I'm not sold on the data density of the single-pane display, just looking at it gives me a serious headache.

southernphantom wrote:

geogen wrote:

Totally random thought, but what about a completely unconventional interim alternative proposal... say two 6x9 display +/- mounted within the cockpit at the pilots 9 and 3 o'clock? Let's say $1,000 COTS per display. Display the essential data on those displays as the pilot is turning his head (wow, a 30 yr old fighter pilot needs to turn his head when in combat) and simply cue it with a cueing piece attached to the helmet; whether with NVG or not?

And simply integrate voice commands to supplement the executions, as appropriate?

Probably not a bad idea, in my opinion. I'm not sold on the data density of the single-pane display, just looking at it gives me a serious headache.

What would they put on the 3/9 displays that isn't already on the TSD or the helmet?

Phantom -- youngsters handle it just fine;they grew up on this stuff. 'Adults' too when they get enough familiarity -- i.e. where to look to get what without having to think about it.

Good VSI video showing how the Gen II HMD looks (and could look with future upgrades) from the pilot's perspective.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHoVQA1_ ... re=g-all-u

Forum: F-35 Avionics

Helmet-mounted displays