×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Monday
12
Jan 2026
weather symbol
Athens 7°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> World

F35: Why the pilot’s helmet costs $400,000

On Lockheed Martin's phenomenal fighter, the technology that brings together this particular "accessory" is state of the art

Newsroom March 6 08:53

In a state of the art fighter like the American F35, the word technology is everywhere as the plane is covered by a network of advanced infrared cameras.

A good reason why the pilot’s helmet costs $400,000, as it has the ability to transmit what these systems see to his eyes, along with data from radar, other aircraft, ships or ground systems.

To do this, it contains a dual optical system to project a separate image to each of the pilot’s eyes, so it can overlay 3D computer graphics over everything they see.

The idea of the concept was for the pilot to be able to see what the plane’s sensors can see, as well as any information received from other aircraft, ground stations or ships connected to the F-35’s networking system.

These dual visual systems must be able to project an image into each of the pilot’s eyes, allowing them to see even through it, so they can also see the plane’s controls and instruments if needed.

To align the projected image with the pilot’s vision, the helmet must transmit its position in the cockpit to the plane’s computer system.

This means that the helmet must contain a system that allows the cockpit to track the helmet, so that the F-35’s computer knows which direction the pilot is facing and so does the computer embedded in the helmet.

The helmet also needs a computer system built into it to ensure that the incoming data is correctly projected to the pilot’s eyes and at the brightness level he or she has chosen and that it is properly aligned with the outside world.

The pilot can look down at the cockpit floor and see straight through it to the ground because the images from the plane’s abdominal camera are included in the system.

It has the ability to see radar symbols when looking ahead, allowing him to spot aircraft out of visual range without looking at the radar screen.

The F-35 has a cockpit that does not provide excellent visibility without the helmet in proper working order, so there is poor visibility to the rear and downward.

See Also:

Earthquake – Kefalonia: Tselenti’s analysis of the very intense microseismic action

If the pilot looks over his shoulder without the helmet working, he cannot easily see the tail of the plane, only the rear of the cockpit.

>Related articles

Bloomberg: Turkey and Lockheed Martin in a new round of F-16 negotiations

Mitsotakis meets with the Vice President of Exxon Mobil and the President of Lockheed Martin

Trump received Erdogan with enthusiasm at the White House – He is my friend, he will buy F-16s and F-35s – Turkey “conquered” Syria (videos) (Update)

But the helmet makes the plane effectively transparent, so when a pilot looks over his shoulder, he sees that enemy or friendly aircraft ten miles back or sees the missile coming.

The computer system on the F-35 can also alert the pilot using symbols and warn him to turn his head to see something the sensors have seen.

So if the abdominal camera detects a missile a launching – something the system is designed to do very easily – it alerts the pilot and they can look at it, assess the situation to start taking evasive action based on the angle of approach of the missile.

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#F35#F35 fighter jets#fighter pilot#Lockheed Martin
> More World

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Intervention of the Federation of Truck Drivers to the Ministry of Transport for the drivers’ working hours due to road blockades

January 12, 2026

Tax returns: AADE platform now live for filing separate tax declarations by spouses

January 12, 2026

Joint statements of Mitsotakis – Sánchez from Madrid (video)

January 12, 2026

Erich von Däniken, Swiss bestselling author who linked ancient civilizations to extraterrestrials, dies at 90

January 12, 2026

Ukraine: 35,000 households in Odessa are without electricity after a Russian drone attack

January 12, 2026

Greece prepares the first bond issue for 2026

January 12, 2026

Pierrakakis to Tasoula: Greece has increased authority in decision-making at the European level

January 12, 2026

The first snow fell on Parnitha, see impressive photos

January 12, 2026
All News

> Greece

Intervention of the Federation of Truck Drivers to the Ministry of Transport for the drivers’ working hours due to road blockades

The Federation calls for non-imposition of sanctions and extraordinary application of European Regulation 561/2006, because of road blockades by the rural mobilizations

January 12, 2026

The first snow fell on Parnitha, see impressive photos

January 12, 2026

Passports: Deadline until January 31 for the old process — Which documents are being abolished

January 12, 2026

Ecumenical Patriarch comments on ‘bad omen’ after knife mishap at pie-cutting ceremony

January 12, 2026

Severe cold wave hits Greece: Snow expected – Weather in Attica

January 12, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα