F-35's 400K flight helmet

[Topaz]

The makers for the F-35 have invented a helmet that is x-ray vision-LIKE imagery but the cost is $400K! WOW! Why does it cost so much? http://theaviationist.com/2015/04/03/meet-f-35-400k-usd-helmet/

[Signals.Cpl]

Did you actually read what it is meant to do? If you read it from your own source you might get an answer as to why it costs so much.

[eyeball]

Happiness may be a warm gun but an expensive one is like ecstasy.

[TimG]

WOW! Why does it cost so much?

These helmets are custom made items that cannot be used outside of the F35 program which means low volume. The R&D cost is arbitrarily divided among the different components and there is likely little connection to the cost of manufacturing each one. If this technology become commercially available the price would likely drop a lot because the R&D cost could be divided among many more units but this does not mean the military is getting ripped off. R&D is expensive. Edited April 5, 2015 by TimG

[On Guard for Thee]

And because they needed some sort of fix for the original situation were you couldnt properly SEE out of the plane, and because if its anythig to do with a F 35 it must be outrageously expensive,and prone to failure. Now I wonder if that damn ejection seat is working yet, are the engines still blowing up on the runway, and how are they coming along with painting the fuel trucks white so the fuel doesnt get too warm...

[The_Squid]

Because they know governments will gladly shell out exorbitant money for anything to do with this project. Canada's involvement in the F35 project is sheer stupidity.

[Derek 2.0]

These helmets are custom made items that cannot be used outside of the F35 program which means low volume. The R&D cost is arbitrarily divided among the different components and there is likely little connection to the cost of manufacturing each one. If this technology become commercially available the price would likely drop a lot because the R&D cost could be divided among many more units but this does not mean the military is getting ripped off. R&D is expensive.

That's more a reflection on the advancement of the F-35 versus other present day legacy aircraft.......future developments, both manned and unmanned, will utilize the helmet (more so the DAS that its connected to)......

Likewise perspective is also needed.......the current standard, what is used in our current Hornets, cost over 200k ~15 years ago, well only offering a fraction of the actual capability as today's technology.

[Topaz]

one good marksmen and how many millions or billions is gone in one second, war is toooooo much, especially human lives.

[On Guard for Thee]

Because they know governments will gladly shell out exorbitant money for anything to do with this project. Canada's involvement in the F35 project is sheer stupidity.

I believe we are still waiting to see the report Harper finally asked for which has apparently been delivered but not yet made public. Probably because it confirms what you say.

Edited April 5, 2015 by On Guard for Thee

[overthere]

The local Target is closing this week and they are selling these helmets for only $200K.

Only one colour though.

[Wilber]

one good marksmen and how many millions or billions is gone in one second, war is toooooo much, especially human lives.

I think most people would agree with you but unfortunately, that's the world we live in.

[Wilber]

That's more a reflection on the advancement of the F-35 versus other present day legacy aircraft.......future developments, both manned and unmanned, will utilize the helmet (more so the DAS that its connected to)......

Likewise perspective is also needed.......the current standard, what is used in our current Hornets, cost over 200k ~15 years ago, well only offering a fraction of the actual capability as today's technology.

I agree, there will be no new manned fighter types that don't use this kind of technology and it is bound to find its way into other military aircraft. This is just a major step in the evolution of helmet types already used in attack helicopters like the Apache.

[Derek 2.0]

I agree, there will be no new manned fighter types that don't use this kind of technology and it is bound to find its way into other military aircraft. This is just a major step in the evolution of helmet types already used in attack helicopters like the Apache.

Indeed.......I remember thinking what a leap the then new NVG cockpits were well working for Boeing IDS in the 90s on CH-46 DCU..........

The DAS technology, combined with the helmet, will signal the infancy of eventual, truly autonomous flight (and your automated cars), in the decades ahead once the costs come down and worldwide bandwidth is dramatically increased, granting the allowance to truly share the information that it obtains.......

One of the reasons I find it laughable when someone compares the air-to-air abilities of the F-35 with current legacy types........in a visual dogfight alone, the F-35's ability to engage targets, behind, above and under it will out-way any possible maneuver advantage a foe might have, to say nothing of the internal carriage of it's weapons and three spectrum stealth......