Aircraft
F-35 Test Pilots Will Begin Flying “Gen” Helmet Display
A new sensor in the 'Gen 3' helmet display will improve night vision acuity, a major defect of the 'Gen 2.'
A new sensor in the 'Gen 3' helmet display will improve night vision acuity, a major defect of the 'Gen 2.'

F-35 test pilots will begin flying this year with a third-generation helmet-mounted display system (HMDS) that incorporates modifications to the earlier-generation display system, which pilots deemed insufficient for missions the Joint Strike Fighter will perform. Last October, after testing the fixes over the course of two years, the Pentagon’s F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) gained enough confidence in the new “Gen 3” system to stop the development of an alternate helmet-mounted display.