BAE Systems has secured a £133 million contract from the four-nation Eurofighter consortium—Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK—to advance the Striker II Helmet Mounted-Display (HMD) for Typhoon pilots.
The Striker II helmet is recognised as one of the most advanced fighter aircraft helmets globally, integrating an all-digital night vision system and daylight-readable colour display.
The technology allows critical mission data to be displayed directly on the pilot’s visor, offering unmatched situational awareness in contested environments.
Giancarlo Mezzanatto, Chief Executive of Eurofighter, emphasised the importance of the project:
“This contract ensures that Typhoon pilots will continue to fly a world-leading aircraft with a world-leading digital helmet, advancing technological capabilities across our Air Forces.”
The investment builds on BAE Systems’ existing £40 million contract with the Ministry of Defence from 2023, which began flight trials of the helmet. The latest funding will mature the Striker II design, moving it closer to production-ready status.
BAE Systems Managing Director Richard Hamilton highlighted the operational benefits:
“The Striker II helmet gives Typhoon pilots a critical advantage in an increasingly congested and contested battlespace. This commitment secures highly skilled jobs and ensures cutting-edge development.”
The development project is expected to sustain over 200 specialised roles at BAE’s Warton facility in Lancashire and its Electronic Systems site in Rochester, Kent. Simon Ellard, General Manager of NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA), reinforced the strategic value of the investment:
“This contract keeps Eurofighter at the forefront of innovation, adapting to evolving operational environments and future threats.”
And the Russian’s are using Tomtom’s stuck on the console of the SU34 with blue tac 😀
Gaffer tape please!
Well it doesn’t cost 133 million.
Hi folks hope all is well.
As ever I ask you experts. Is this helmet any good to use or can be configured to use in the F35s? Still very encouraging to read the article that implies this is the most advanced fighter pilot helmet.
As a side issue. Has anyone noticed that the reply to posts on this site does not allow for the reply to be sent to your email recently?
Cheers
George
UK IP and maybe a building block for our 6th Gen fighter.
Trying to integrate UK bits into something as complicate as F35B without full software control is doomed to an expensive failure.
RAF would then be left with an orphaned small fleet that was too expensive to support…
So leave well alone unless the BAE helmet is adopted for all F35’s then different story.
the F-35 already uses a similar helmet.
It does but I note Bae proposed an entirely new helmet for it that would have arguably out performed it but was rejected on cost grounds and continuity. There are always incremental gains to be made as technology develops.