RAF fighter pilots will be able to shoot down planes by simply by looking at their enemy thanks to a revolutionary new helmet.
The ‘Star Wars’ style helmet gives fast-jet fighter pilots the ability to look at multiple targets, lock-on to them and then, by voice-command, prioritise them.
Designed for the Eurofighter Typhoon, the £250,000 helmet is described as ”a system with ‘brains’ that sits on the pilot’s head”.
The BAE Systems product is currently being tested by the RAF – which has an 82-strong fleet of the 1,500mph fighter jets.
However, the prospect of the MOD forking out £250,000 per helmet for an aircraft which isn’t used in any of the UK armed force’s major operations is unlikely to please members of the RAF hit by recent Government cutbacks.
One pilot admitted: ”If the RAF decide to go ahead with the helmet it is disappointing.
”There are aircraft out in theatre doing the hard work but some of these fleets struggle to maintain the working condition of the aircraft owing to limited funding and harsh conditions.”
The ”death stare” helmet works by having a number of fixed sensors around the fighter jet’s cockpit area.
As pilots move their heads, the sensors on the helmets move in relation to the sensors on the Typhoon, ensuring the aircraft knows exactly where and what they’re looking at.
Imagery projected onto the pilot’s visor gives the Typhoon’s speed, heading and height and gives the precise position of enemy aircraft and missiles.
BAE Systems test pilot Mark Bowman said: ”This is a major advance in terms of combat capability and is something that gives Typhoon pilots a significant advantage when it comes to air combat.
”There is no doubt in my mind that the Eurofighter Typhoon leads the world in terms of this kind of capability.”
