Pentagon stops work on BAE Systems alternative F-35 Helmet Mounted Display

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World Air Force News - F-35 - BAE Systems - USA
 
 
Pentagon stops work on BAE Systems alternative F-35 Helmet Mounted Display.
 
The Pentagon said on Thursday it would halt work on a second pilot helmet being developed for the F-35 fighter jet by Britain's BAE Systems Plc, and focus exclusively on the main helmet built by Rockwell Collins Inc and Israel's Elbit Systems Ltd.
     
The Pentagon said on Thursday it would halt work on a second pilot helmet being developed for the F-35 fighter jet by Britain's BAE Systems Plc, and focus exclusively on the main helmet built by Rockwell Collins Inc and Israel's Elbit Systems Ltd.
F-35 Helmet Mounted Display (photo credit: BAE Systems)
     

The move is projected to save about $45 million in avoided development costs, according to Joe DellaVedova, a spokesman for the program.

“The F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) has decided to stop the development of an alternate helmet and focus solely on bringing the ‘Gen 2' helmet – now being used in testing and training – up to a fully compliant Gen 3 standard,” he said in an e-mailed statement.

On BAE USA side: “We are disappointed at today’s decision by Lockheed Martin and the Joint Strike Fighter Joint Program Office to discontinue the pursuit of a second helmet for the F-35 aircraft,” Liz Ryan Sax, a spokeswoman for the company’s Electronic Systems unit, said in an e-mail. The team “has achieved every milestone to date, providing a critical viable alternative for the customer,” she said.

The move to develop two helmets was made to save 12% in the first place. BAE was selected for a 100 million contract (60% of the funds were used). The Pentagon is hoping to save the remaining development costs.