BAE Systems has been awarded a production contract to equip UK Royal Air Force (RAF) Eurofighter Typhoon pilots with its Striker II helmet-mounted display.
Announced during the DSEI show in London on 13 September, the award is worth £40 million ($50 million).
“Under the new contract, BAE Systems engineers are maturing the helmet’s capability ahead of the start of initial production to support qualification and integration flight-testing in Warton, Lancashire,” the company says.
Andrea Thompson, managing director – Europe & international for BAE Systems’ Air sector, says Striker II will provide “unrivalled situational awareness from the cockpit, while helping to avoid sensory overload”.
BAE says its Striker II integrates an “all-digital night vision system and daylight readable colour display”, which provides “an augmented reality of the real world alongside mission critical information”.
“This contract demonstrates the maturity and progress of the initial design solution for Striker II,” says Air Commodore Nick Lowe, the RAF’s assistant chief of staff combat air. “It not only meets the UK’s safety requirements by offering high levels of protection and survivability, it expands the situational awareness of the pilot and would increase Typhoon’s lethality.”
