USAF to evaluate Scorpion helmet display for F-22, new displays for F-15C

Operational testers at Nellis AFB in Nevada are preparing to test the Visionix Scorpion helmet mounted cueing system with the F-22 later this year. F-22 pilots have been talking for awhile now about how lack of a helmet mounted system could hurt them in WVR combat with the AIM-9X, as they would have to have a wingman sight for them to use the full capabilities of the missile.

To date pilots that have used the Scorpion have had nothing but positive things to say about it. The F-22 pilots want the helmet added to the aircraft. The AIM-9X isn't expected to be added to the Raptor's weapons mix until 2015, and full capabilities not until around 2017.

US Air Force operational testers at Nellis AFB, Nevada, are preparing to evaluate the Visionix Scorpion helmet-mounted cueing system (HMCS) on the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor later this year.

"We absolutely hope to have the Scorpion helmet [on the Raptor]," says Col Robert Novotny, commander of the 53rd Test and Evaluation Group (53rd TEG), which investigates new technologies and tactics for the service. "We think we'll get into that business this summer."

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At the same time, the F-15C fleet is going through a huge upgrade to their sensor suite. They will be receiving the APG-63 (V) 3 AESA radar, the ADCP II, EPAWSS, Mode 5 IFF, new flight data recorder, SATCOM radio, digital video recorder, and software upgrades.

The Air Force is looking at adding two Liquid Crystal Displays to replace the F-15s original radar and threat displays. The LCD displays would allow pilots to take full advantage of the new sensors, and display data at a greater range than the original screens.

The US Air Force is working on adding new displays onto the Boeing F-15C Eagle air superiority fighter to complement the aircraft's upgraded sensors.

The service is already adding the new Raytheon APG-63 (V) 3 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar onto the Eagle fleet. But the jet will also receive the advanced display core processor II (ADCP II), Eagle passive/active warning and survivability system (EPAWSS), Mode 5 identification friend or foe (IFF), a new flight data recorder, a satellite communications (SATCOM) radio, and a new digital video recorder, according to the F-15 System Program Office. The F-15 will also receive a series of software block updates.

Now, the USAF is investigating the addition of two new modern liquid crystal displays to replace the F-15C antiquated radar and defense electronic warfare systems displays, says Col Robert Novotny, commander of the 53rd Test and Evaluation Group at Nellis AFB, Nevada, which evaluates new technology and tactics for the service.

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did they ever fix the helmet for the F-35? Maybe they should be working on that one first before the 22. lol

These planes are just a big ole waste of money.

Kinda late to scrap the program I imagine though.

reply to post by Hopechest


Considering that all the F-22s have been produced, the line is closed, and they're operational, yeah, I'd say it's a little late. The last F-15 was produced in the late 1980s or early 1990s, and it's a 1972 design.

reply to post by boomer135


There are several fixes in the works for the F-35 helmet, including a new supplier that would give them a helmet with a slightly lesser capability until they could iron out the helmet they're supposed to have that's having all the problems.

reply to post by boomer135

The Scorpion HMCS has been around for years and has been well received within the F-15/16 community. It has proven efficacy, and while it doesn't boast the same performance as the F-35 HMD (JHMCS-II I believe) it is the greatest bang for the USAF's buck. Systems commonality with legacy aircraft also greatly mitigates cost/service problems in the long run.

All this only shortly after the Raptor was blasted by some media outlets for not taking full advantage of its HOBS capable AIM-9X's.

reply to post by Pants3204


That's how it works these days. The Air Force listens to the pilots. The politicians in Washington listen to the media. In this case both agree and something gets done.

reply to post by nwtrucker


Very very very rarely. If it worked that way more often, we'd have an air farce that wasn't about to fall out of the sky, instead of one that's just extending the retirement age of 3/4ths of the fleet.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Sorry, didn't mean to imply it was a common occurance. It's rare when both sides agree on a point and likely that's the reason behind this one being approved.

As nothing much is done these days in D.C. , this one merits atta boys.LOl

reply to post by nwtrucker


Yeah really. Now if they can only come up with a budget, and the balls to either kill, or seriously curtail the F-35 I'll be really impressed.

reply to post by Zaphod58


That surprises me. I'd say there's no way the F-35 program won't be curtailed. The reason being that it wouldn't matter if it was Star Treks warp drive engines, they'd find something wrong with it and stomp it into non-existence.
(the left, of course).

I remember the hew and cry about the M-1 Abrams when it first came out, all the things wrong with it. Standard tactics, just more on that side of the aisle these days....

reply to post by nwtrucker


The problem with the F-35 is that it's an international program, and there are too many foreign customers buying it to kill it outright or even hurt it badly.

And just like that, the F-22 loses its HMCS. Since Sequestration occurred, the planned technology demonstration of the Scorpion helmet was automatically cancelled, since it wasn't a planned upgrade to the aircraft.