Striker® II Digital Helmet-Mounted Display

Striker II

What is a helmet-mounted display?

The world’s most advanced helmet-mounted display

The Striker II digital Helmet-Mounted Display (HMD) builds on the decades of combat-proven performance by the Striker HMD, used on Typhoon and Gripen aircraft. The only full color solution with integrated night vision available anywhere, Striker II gives pilots unparalleled situational awareness, next generation EBAPS™ night vision, optional 3D audio, and battle proven target tracking technology — all in an integrated, visor-projected digital HMD system.

The highly advanced Striker II supports the display of high resolution sensor systems such as a distributed aperture systems, which allows pilots see through the body of the aircraft — giving them a vital advantage when it comes to split-second decision making. Using optical sensors embedded in the aircraft, Striker II immediately calculates the pilot’s exact head position and angle. This means no matter where the pilot is looking, Striker II displays accurate targeting information and symbology, with near zero latency.

BAE Systems Striker II by night – using patented next generation technology to give pilots integrated night vision in a fully digital, full color helmet-mounted display.

Feature & benefit details of the Striker II HMD

Integrated night vision – All the capability, all the time

Striker II features a high-performance, digital night vision camera in the helmet, creating a truly 24/7 capable HMD with no need for heavy, obtrusive night vision goggles. The night view is captured by our integrated camera, processed and projected onto the inside of the visor — showing the pilot a digital image in real time. With this seamless day-to-night capability, there is no trade-off between situational awareness provided by the visor-projected display and the utility of the night vision goggles.

Color symbology: A mission critical advantage

Unlike other HMDs, Striker II offers the use of daylight readable color symbology with a binocular 40⁰ field of view. Its ability to display colors — beyond the typical monochrome green — over a large area, greatly reduces a pilot's workload. In a combat environment, being able to instantly see an enemy in red symbology, and friendlies in blue, can be critical in the success of a mission. Our cutting-edge tracking system ensures the pilot's exact head position and the aircraft's computer system are constantly in sync, meaning the system can position symbology onto the visor in perfect alignment with the real world.

Picture-in-picture technology

Similar to more advanced televisions, Striker II supports picture-in-picture technology that displays imagery in a small offset window separate from that of the main display. This distinct data feed is large enough to digest, but placed where it will not detract from the essential flight information on the central display, owing to the large 40 degree field-of-view offered by Striker II. This capability is invaluable to pilots, whether they're closing in on a target or surveying an area of interest. The pilot can also receive a live video feed to this window fed by UAVs or support on the ground via datalink. This is a vital asset in situations where time is of the essence and decisions need to be made quickly.

Significantly lighter than HMD/NVG solutions

Traditionally, when flying in low light conditions, pilots are required to wear heavy and obtrusive night vision goggles over the top of their helmet. Significantly lighter than this setup, Striker II's integrated night vision allows pilots to fly longer missions with less fatigue. This system offers better balance and center of gravity, increasing comfort during high G-level maneuvers on fixed-wing platforms and greatly reducing neck loads for extended rotary-wing operations. Every Striker II helmet fit is tailored to ensure perfect weight distribution for each pilot, with the inner lining manufactured to the exact shape of the wearer’s head, finished with Italian leather.

3D audio and active noise reduction

A unique optional advantage of Striker II is its 3D audio capability, paired with smart active noise reduction (ANR). 3D audio gives the pilot 360-degree directional audio, so they hear a threat relevant to their position while also seeing it in color symbology. Pilots can even tailor what direction specific communications come from. For example, they may want ground communications to sound as if it’s originating from below the aircraft and friendly forces to be audible from above. ANR greatly increases the wearer's audio clarity by significantly reducing noise coming from the aircraft or environment. Our noise reduction technology supports the loudest of platforms and, by reducing airborne and acoustically transmitted noise, pilots can distinguish and interpret what’s most important to their mission.

Easy, platform-agnostic integration – today and tomorrow

Striker II has been specifically designed to allow for easy integration across a wide range of platforms. It's compatible with aircraft that have analog display drive electronics, via a low latency converter, and has a digital interface for aircraft with digital display drives. Its comprehensive list of features work together seamlessly to provide pilots with unmatched awareness. Most importantly, the information is displayed in an intuitive way, allowing for a natural response in what can be the most challenging and unnatural of environments.

BAE Systems can provide complete HMD System solution using the Striker II, or work with customers to integrate Striker II into existing aircraft architectures on an Open Architecture basis to give customers the freedom and ability to develop their own symbology/display formats, and provide optimized aircraft mounted hardware solutions.