Helmet upgrades enhance air power..
by Senior Airman Amaani Lyle
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office
10/13/2004 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany (AFPN) -- F-16 Fighting
Falcon pilots here can now look, lock and launch on an enemy target
in the blink of an eye.
Because split seconds can mean the difference between life or death
for a pilot in combat, the 52nd Fighter Wing here adopted an
advanced approach to high-tech man-machine interaction with the
Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System.
The system provides an electronic interface allowing the helmet and
jet to communicate putting critical data less than three inches
from a pilots right eye.
Human retinal nerve impulses and eye movement can be faster than
one-twenty-fifth of a second. Pilots quickly locate, track,
identify and lock onto airborne and ground-based targets at longer
ranges and safer altitudes -- all by simply looking at a target,
said Staff Sgt. Terence Zelek, a life-support technician with the
23rd Fighter Squadron.
By keeping their eyes pointed outside the cockpit, pilots will be
better equipped to support the formation via visual lookout and
avoid potential midair collisions in crowded airspace, said Lt.
Col. David Youtsey, 52nd Operations Support Squadron director of
operations.
Avoiding such collisions is part of what makes the nearly $100,000
price tag per system money well spent, Colonel Youtsey said.
Compared to the cost of a trained pilot, the cost of the (F-16),
or the cost of many weapons that are used only once, the price is
not an issue, he said. (With) more survivable air attack
engagements or faster destruction of enemy ground forces during a
close-air support mission, the benefits are easily
recognized.
Colonel Youtsey said the new system also pays dividends in
training.
Our young pilots will learn the skills and tactics necessary to
transfer to more capable aircraft, he said. The skills acquired
via (the system) will support the fielding decisions and employment
tactics of those future stealthy platforms in an even more
networked and sensor-dense battle space.
One pilot said the ease of the helmet system makes the idea of
returning to the old-fashioned system unappealing, but he also
recognizes the importance of meticulous training, fitting and
assembly on the new system.
Your head is connected to the end (of the cord) and inside the
helmet, said Capt. Kevin Lord, 23rd FS life-support officer and
F-16 pilot. During an ejection or other mishap, if the (system) is
improperly connected, it could rip your head off.
Three dedicated rides with an instructor, coupled with a regular
flight schedule, should keep pilots proficient with the new
equipment.
When you know how to wear (the helmet) and its properly fitted,
its awesome, Captain Lord said. Its first look, first lock,
first kill and now we can track altitude, speed and just about any
information we need to keep the aircraft level and in our
control.