Pilot equipment is crucial for a pilot’s performance. This also applies to the F-35 helmet. That is why the Operational Based Vision Lab (OBVA) of the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) visited TNO and the CML last week. After a short introduction and facilities tour it was time for the real work: measuring the F-35 helmet to improve its adjustment and develop a next generation of helmets that are even better suited to the needs of the pilots. This was done in the pilot readiness center, together with experts from TNO, VUT and Collins Aerospace.
The next day, at Leeuwarden air force base, all F-35 helmets were measured and it turned out that all helmets were adjusted correctly. A well-adjusted helmet is a real ‘force multiplier’; combat effectiveness is increased without actually increasing its firepower. This shows once again how innovation and pilot equipment are crucial for a pilot’s flight performance.