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F-35 Joint Striker Fighter helmet renders the plane nearly invisible

blog.scifi.com — This ain't your papa's flight helmet. Designed for pilots of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the helm you see above will allow pilots to virtually see through the aircraft around them, giving them a wide field of view ahead and superimposing an Infrared image of the world below onto their visors at night.

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  • quidpro, on 11/17/2007, -2/+113Damn. That's just about the creepiest looking helmet ever. I wasn't expecting that.
    • Nossie, on 11/17/2007, -10/+1I can imagine Bitchin' Betty now..... "systems failure... electronics .... systems failure.... redundant electronics..... systems failure.... power.... systems failure... auxiliary power. systems failure.... Bye Dave." **BANG**

      Seriously though, surely if your helmet broke you'd be able to land the plane? I hope.
    • calon9, on 11/17/2007, -1/+1kinda looks like my mom in curlers.
    • QuickeningYak, on 11/18/2007, -0/+2"The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will feature a new anti-missile technology code-named `Staredown`. When the pilot fixes his creep-enhanced , unwavering gaze on an inbound missile, the rocket's engine will begin trickling fuel down the inside of the rocket's hull until the engire quietly shuts down and the missile falls, powerless."
      • vguard, on 11/23/2007, -0/+1When the pilot fixed his gaze on the target, the rocket began trickling down the inside..and then fell powerless. He then rolled over and fell asleep.
    • LeeSoong, on 11/18/2007, -0/+1Nice - until a NMP drops the plane like a multi-million dollar brick ?

      I hope they used more Hard Security & Quality Control on the
      F-35 Fighter computer systems than they used on Voting Machines.
  • Animental, on 11/17/2007, -2/+98I don't know whether to laugh at how big his head is or run, screaming in terror and THE GLOWING GREEN EYES THAT BURN MY SOUL!!
    • Audacitor, on 11/17/2007, -4/+2Are they even necessary?
      • Schneckehaus, on 11/17/2007, -0/+6my guess is that it uses leds to project the information onto inside of the visor with a green light for the infrared view.

        so probably, yes.

        but if not, itd be cool to leave it that way.
        i want one for walking around, little sunglasses with infrared night vision and a hud display :D
      • Dustmuffins, on 11/17/2007, -0/+17They look badass! Of course they're necessary!
      • Recluse, on 11/17/2007, -0/+7Does it matter they look badass.
      • raynar, on 11/17/2007, -1/+3No...I AM YOUR FATHER!!
      • moofer, on 11/17/2007, -0/+3Yes, they are.
  • GreatWhiteSnark, on 11/17/2007, -14/+4For a brief moment I thought the article was about Wonder Woman's plane.
  • pimpbot1979, on 11/17/2007, -1/+52Those creepy rapist eyes. He's looking through my blouse.
    • jj101, on 11/17/2007, -1/+29Pilot thinks:

      Those sexy perky nipples. She's looking at my helmet.

    • QuickeningYak, on 11/18/2007, -0/+1To pimpbot1979 and jj101: Both of those together, I think that's the look they were going for.
  • look4alec, on 11/17/2007, -2/+45He might not be able to see the plane from the inside. However, the plane is very much visible from the outside and appears to be piloted by a bobble-head.

    Oh and he looks like the suppressors in half-life 2 campaign.
    • Red5, on 11/17/2007, -1/+8Now only if they could make everyone on the outside of the plane wear the helmet then they'd really have something!
  • pedrovoltaire, on 11/17/2007, -24/+12aaahhh thats what we need to be spending more money on. ultra military technology - have to keep up with the arabs, right?
    • DreKor, on 11/17/2007, -5/+4the fact that we have an air force wasn't enough i guess.
    • noahhoward, on 11/17/2007, -1/+16Thank god they don't listen to shortsighted idiots like you. If no one could see past the current conflict we'd be caught unprepared every time.
      • midbc, on 11/17/2007, -5/+5dont want to be unprepared for when the US starts ***** again
      • billydisaster, on 11/17/2007, -3/+3@noahhoward You would have a point, if it wasn't for the fact that the armed forces are so unprepared for the current war. Soldiers driving around in Humvees with canvas sides, while billions are being spent on high-tech solutions that aren't needed. You're so shortsighted you can't even see what's happening right now, never mind the future.
      • noahhoward, on 11/17/2007, -1/+4@billy Yep the current conflict was an unexpected situation, I fail to see how it is shortsightedness on my part considering I have noting to do with military planning. All you've managed to do is prove my point. You must keep on the ball in all areas of military technology if you plan on being effective. Scientists have been developing and are still developing technologies to handle the situation, at the same time they are ensuring that other areas of our military don't fall behind. Keep in mind Lockheed isn't the only company that develops military technology, it is easy to focus on more than one thing at a time. No one prepared for the current conflict and people have paid with their lives.

        However, your observation about the Humvee is a bit off the mark. The Humvee was never meant to be an APC, it is simply a replacement for the Jeep, it was meant to be a fast utility vehicle, now it is an armed scout without the armor needed for that role.
        • billydisaster, on 11/18/2007, -0/+1You were suggesting that the US hadn't been caught unprepared this time. That is why you are shortsighted.
          My comment about the Humvee is right on the mark. It is a military vehicle, you might reasonable expect that it would come under attack, and therefore require armour or the option of adding armour. The reason it hasn't had the armour is because there isn't the budget, partly because of huge unnecessary hi-tech projects like this one.
    • captbbq, on 11/17/2007, -2/+4well, the specs for the latest mig, built jointly by India and Russia are pretty impressive. (FYI: it was an Indian who designed the propulsion system for the b2 stealth bomber, and later sold it to China).. And india did defeat the united stats air force in the cope India training exercise. Oh, and did I mention China has been stealing our technology? That right, they have lots of fighters that equal ours, and building more by the day....
      • hmunkey, on 11/17/2007, -1/+4India is more or less America's strongest allies. They both share strong tensions with the Islamic world, and every Indian has some relative living in America (fact). Trust me, I'm an Indian American.
    • LincolnA, on 11/17/2007, -0/+1And isn't that a *British* flag on the guy's uniform.... Though I'm sure we're spending money on this stuff too.
      • cmpshotty, on 11/17/2007, -0/+1Read up on it. The UK is the key development partner. Lots of other countries are helping too.
  • cachete22, on 11/17/2007, -0/+22Holy Crap, is that the thing from "Predator"?
  • scooterbaga, on 11/17/2007, -1/+13So... do they feel like Wonder Woman when they fly the 'invisible' jet?
    • JollyMunchkin, on 11/17/2007, -1/+0Buried. GreatWhiteSnark made this same comment which was buried.
  • rusty_g, on 11/17/2007, -14/+13http://digg.com/hardware/Pilots_to_have_Terminator ...
    • ours, on 11/17/2007, -5/+5Yes, it's only 3 times this or another article about this same thing has been on digg.
  • calenerd, on 11/17/2007, -8/+3the eyes look weird
    • moofer, on 11/17/2007, -1/+4you have to have great vision to be a pilot in the military. I'm sure his eyes look fine. They look up, and down, and all-around... probably with 20/20 vision.
  • rusty_g, on 11/17/2007, -15/+3DUP
    http://digg.com/hardware/Pilots_to_have_Terminator ...
    • EricSchC1, on 11/17/2007, -1/+1Only thing worse than duplicate article submissions is duplicate comments on the same article. /rollseyes
  • Stonekeeper, on 11/17/2007, -0/+49Now if only he had a tie-fighter to go with that helmet...
  • MacParrot, on 11/17/2007, -1/+74We must move quickly! The Sand People are easily startled, but they'll soon be back...and in greater numbers
  • RodrigoKenobi, on 11/17/2007, -1/+4That's AWESOME. More scifi-like tech in our world today. Exciting times.
  • Hydraulix, on 11/17/2007, -2/+5Get rid of the cheech and chong eyes, and you got yourself a bad ass helmet.
  • r00tus3r, on 11/17/2007, -6/+4What happens when it malfunctions? They better have a damn good back up in place.
    • agenteVad, on 11/17/2007, -1/+18Like a window?
    • mrASSMAN, on 11/17/2007, -1/+26I love how internet geniuses always thinks they're the first to consider obvious scenarios as if the engineers that spent years on it wouldn't have thought of it.
      • moofer, on 11/17/2007, -1/+4I'm pretty sure he's not engineering aircraft here... just asking an obvious question without an obvious answer; one the article neglected to cover.
      • starsky51, on 11/17/2007, -1/+2YES! well said. it's good to see someone speaking sense on here!
  • mleaman, on 11/17/2007, -11/+4Dugg down for duplicate.
  • IrwinFletcher, on 11/17/2007, -0/+40"Last night Darth Vader came down from the planet Vulcan and said that if I didn't take Lorraine to the dance then he would melt my brain."
    • PabloIV, on 11/17/2007, -0/+1you know I always loved that line. It contrasts Star Wars and Star Trek in a "I don't know a damn thing about either of them" sort of way. but it always felt like a clear play on the "feud" between both geek communities that very much seemed like an inside joke.
  • cnldelta, on 11/17/2007, -1/+3If the someone wearing the helmet were to peak over my fence at night, I'd mistake them for an alien.
  • jsambarreto, on 11/17/2007, -5/+1Is selling in stores toy until Christmas?
  • spyd3rweb, on 11/17/2007, -10/+5Keep feeding the military industrial complex.
    • EricSchC1, on 11/17/2007, -1/+1Don't know why you're being dugg down. Sure the technology is cool, buts its application is pretty much for violent and destructive purposes and an antiquated solution to international socio-political differences.
      • MtheoryX, on 11/17/2007, -0/+1Because low-tech, like pipe bombs and RPGs, is only used for peaceful purposes, right?
        • spyd3rweb, on 11/18/2007, -0/+1They seem to be more effective than our high-tech solutions.
  • majortom1981, on 11/17/2007, -4/+2Why does the f-35 have this and the raptor doesnt. Isnt the jsf based on the raptor?
    • lanemik, on 11/17/2007, -8/+3"Isn't the jsf based on the raptor?"
      JSF = Lockheed, Raptor = Boeing
      I'm going to go on a limb and say... uh no.
    • allan17, on 11/17/2007, -0/+9The F-35 is 'borrowing' much of the tech the F-22 has. It is intended to be a cheaper, more flexible fighter. The F-35 doesn't have as much stealth, no supercruise, etc. However it will have some features the raptor doesn't have. The helmet for one, and some versions will have vertical takeoff capabilities (like the harrier) for the marines.
    • noahhoward, on 11/17/2007, -1/+4I'd say it will likely be integrated with all of the advanced fighters at some point.
    • teeks99, on 11/17/2007, -0/+3Yes, the F-35 shares some components from the F-22 (as they are both Lockheed jets, lanemik) Also, I believe that the F-22 does have a similar helmet.

      Over on the boeing side of the fence. Our F/A-18E/F (the current top-line strike fighter for the navy) has had a helmet mounted cuing system for a while.

  • mawcc, on 11/17/2007, -4/+6Laughable - How would a helmet fit on this big mess of a head with those ugly green eyes?
  • cwkoller5, on 11/17/2007, -3/+11Kinda makes you wonder if the pilot even needs to BE in the plane ... couldn't you be wearing the same helmet somewhere in Nevada?
    • Balanced, on 11/17/2007, -2/+9That would add a lot of latency issues.
    • mrASSMAN, on 11/17/2007, -0/+17Well you're right, the US air force has a goal of removing humans from all fighter aircraft eventually. Right now it's mostly spy planes that are remotely controlled.
      • ours, on 11/17/2007, -0/+6And some drone attack helicopters as well.
    • skuk, on 11/17/2007, -0/+3Probably. If he wasn't wearing an RAF flight suit.
    • stoanhart, on 11/17/2007, -0/+3Yeah, but.... booooooring. I wanted to be a fighter pilot for a long time (was in the Air Cadets, etc. Was going to join up after highschool). The one and only reason I wanted to be a fighter pilot was getting to fly a sweet freaking jet.
      • dxmzan, on 11/18/2007, -0/+2Unfortunately, very few pilots ever get to fly a sweet freaking jet, so have fun hauling cargo in that beautifully slow paced C-130.
  • LJRod82, on 11/17/2007, -1/+8All the sudden I don't feel so bad about not making it as a fighter pilot.
  • djauto23, on 11/17/2007, -13/+5What is it good for? Absolutely nothing?
  • djauto23, on 11/17/2007, -15/+4What is it good for? Absolutely nothing?
    • midbc, on 11/17/2007, -0/+5say it again
      you know so frankie can go to hollywood
  • PeakAction, on 11/17/2007, -1/+5Creepy. I peed a little when I saw that thing.
    • aliguana, on 11/17/2007, -0/+11thats the general idea I think. 50% of war is all about psyching-out your enemy. It's been that way since we painted ourselves blue to fight the Romans. Point is: it doesn't matter if the US/UK/German/French squadrons actually wear those... as long as "they" think we do. When a fighter flies overhead at night, the image they will have in their minds is some guys wearing those things, with glowing green eyes looking THROUGH the plane at you. Hell, I'd run, no matter what side I was on...
  • aliguana, on 11/17/2007, -0/+8who would have thunk it. bet sci-fi prop designers worldwide are kicking themselves that they didn't do it first. It's the eyes. I wonder, how long before the wetware inside the helmet is replaced? How long until the glowing green eyes turn into glowing green LEDs?
  • Drizzit, on 11/17/2007, -0/+1Also looks like the pilot helmet in Animatrix.


    Creepy.
  • danconia, on 11/17/2007, -8/+5But will it blend?
  • pcflea, on 11/17/2007, -2/+19Well we can only imagin the amazing tech that we aren't allowed to see... I love America and it's advanced everything. Honestly I do.
    • thomashauk, on 11/17/2007, -1/+6Except this is British.
      Did you miss the union flag on the pic and "RAF" in the article?
      • Darksoul, on 11/17/2007, -1/+1But did you miss what "JSF" means it means "Joint Strike Fighter" it was created by different country's it just happens this part of it was created by the British but I am shure not just by them.
    • randysouth, on 11/17/2007, -0/+5But the company making the helmet is based in San Jose, California - Vision Systems International http://www.vsi-hmcs.com/
      "Oh, smashing, groovy, yay capitalism!" - Austin Powers
      • pentelicon, on 11/19/2007, -0/+0Helmet Integrated Systems is British
  • b5c9, on 11/17/2007, -5/+1Does the title phrase "nearly invisible" sort of like almost pregnant?
    • supermanred, on 11/17/2007, -0/+1No, not really, just means the pilot can look around and see everything around him properly instead of having a tiny window to look out of while traveling at ridiculous speeds while hopped up on cocaine.
  • DJS2005, on 11/17/2007, -0/+3Okay , that is one scary freakin' helmet! The air supply makes his mouth look scary , the tubes poppin' out the sides look like alien ears and the eyes? Sacriest part!! If he doesn't kill someone with that thing he'll make them ***** their pants!
  • WorkingDead, on 11/17/2007, -13/+8What a waste. With all this technology, cant we find some better use for it than killing each other.
    • crees!, on 11/17/2007, -7/+2Being ignorant doesn't make your point valid. Go back into your secluded, everyone loves everyone fantasy. The truth hurts.
    • allan17, on 11/17/2007, -3/+6What a waste? Tons of civilian tech has come from military advancements. Including the internet you're using right now. The airforce is a very important aspect of the military. If you don't control the skies, you are in deep *****.
    • supermanred, on 11/17/2007, -1/+1Relax guys, he has a point. If we put as much effort into controlling the entire planet and killing each other as we do into helping others learn and have enough food to eat, and pure science we would be a lot better off.

  • krunchyfrog, on 11/17/2007, -0/+1I think it looks like those monsters that jump in your face in Half-Life 1.
  • digitalghost1, on 11/17/2007, -2/+2Here is a picture of the helmet that is a little less creepy:
    http://www.vsi-hmcs.com/pages_hmcs/03a_f35day.html
  • petebert, on 11/17/2007, -3/+2I understand the helmet allows the pilot to see more, but how does it make anything invisible?
    • aliguana, on 11/17/2007, -0/+3well, its kind of like virtual reality. you're not looking out of the visor, at the plane controls, the controls are on the screen in the helmet. as is the view out of the plane: you look up, you get the view from above. you look down, you get the view from beneath. etc That will be one hell of a culture-shock for the pilots though, I would imagine.
      • petebert, on 11/17/2007, -0/+1so what your telling me is that the F-35 is not nearly invisible?
  • elkboy, on 11/17/2007, -1/+6...Also works on women's locker rooms
  • SurlyOpie, on 11/17/2007, -1/+10Give it up for Cylon & Garfunkel!
  • bluenash, on 11/17/2007, -1/+7You will be assimilated...resistance is futile.
    • supermanred, on 11/17/2007, -0/+1Buried for lame Star Trek knock-off of original Doctor Who Cybermen line (circa 1950s I believe)

      "You will be upgraded.... resistance is futile"
  • CongoMachete, on 11/17/2007, -3/+1Looks like BF2 was wrong after all.
  • kindrobot, on 11/17/2007, -0/+5That helmet should come with an evil laugh button.
  • 0x90, on 11/17/2007, -4/+7Didn't this make the front page less than 3 days ago?
    • Flummoxer, on 11/18/2007, -0/+3Yeah, it was something along the lines of "BREAKING: PILOT GETS NEW PREDATOR HELMET STRAIGHT FROM TERMINATOR!"
  • Heteroclite, on 11/17/2007, -1/+1Now if I can just get one of these for my wife when she's trying to parallel park the car....
    • SeventhShoelace, on 11/17/2007, -0/+0 Haha, that would be the civilian use for it as it was said above. But that's about it. :)
      • cmpshotty, on 11/17/2007, -0/+1You're kidding me right? Do you have any idea how beneficial this will be to commercial pilots who can't even see the runway when their planes land right now?
  • vendetta07, on 11/17/2007, -1/+1dugg for being fugly
  • sleepless, on 11/17/2007, -0/+1This reminds me of the anime series "Macross Plus."
  • nutmac, on 11/17/2007, -0/+0Elmer Fudd, is that you? With this Acme helmet, I will get you Waskly Wabbit!
  • motters, on 11/17/2007, -0/+1If the data can be streamed to the pilot over a high speed wireless network there's really no need for the him to be actually inside the aircraft at all. Within another couple of decades I think the idea of a frail human pilot able to withstand only a very narrow range of G forces sitting inside a little cockpit at the front of the plane will seem absurd.
  • Stormen, on 11/17/2007, -0/+2That's it, I'm signing up for pilot-school.
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