The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II experienced its first flight in December 2006, and it has since become an integral part of the US military. The US Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy all fly the aircraft, and there are plans to purchase 2,456 between now and 2044. Not only is the aircraft a technological marvel – the helmet pilots wear is also a feat in and of itself.
The following is just an overview of why the F-35 helmet is so special.
Fitting the F-35 lightning II helmet is an intense process
Once pilots are set to fly an F-35 Lightning II, they have to undergo the process of getting fitted for their helmets. This is a two-day process, where their head is scanned and measured; for all of the features to work, the headgear must fit perfectly.
According to the US Air Force, as soon as the helmets are assembled, “pilots need to have the optics aligned using a pupilometer, which measures the distance between their pupils within two milimeters of its center, so pilots see a single image on the helmet-mounted display.”
The display provides aviators with mission-critical information, and allows them to “obtain enhanced situational awareness of the battlefield simply by moving their head.” This gives them a 360-degree view of their environment, without needing to maneuver the F-35 in any particular way.
To ensure there’s adequate oxygen flow, each pilot is sent to an oxygen tester to identify any potential leaks.
“The next part is to ensure there is a proper distance between the mask and the visor,” explained Staff Sgt. AJ Arteaga, aircrew flight equipment reservist with the 419th Operations Support Squadron (OSS). “We have to make sure when the pilot moves or talks, the mask doesn’t hit the visor. If it’s too close, it will bend the visor and distort the display image.”
A pilot’s appearance is important
Once aviators are fitted for their helmets, they have to make sure nothing about their appearance changes.
As Staff Sgt. Arteaga explained, “Pilots come in and put on all their gear so we can double-check to make sure everything fits properly and without issue. Small things such as a new haircut or a couple of pounds gained could cause the helmet to not fit correctly.”
Of course, pilots don’t change their hairstyles all that often, and being active-duty generally means they’ll stay in good physical condition. Still, the US Air Force makes sure. The helmets are checked every 105 days, and there’s a 120-day fit check to ensure they’re still safe to use, as well as functional.
Pilots should get used to their headpiece
While the fitting process for the F-35 Lightning II’s helmet is lengthy, it’s also likely a one-time deal. After a US Marine Corps pilot’s head is measured, they receive a styrofoam cap molded to their head that’s kept with them throughout their career.
As a Marine Corps press release shared, “The use of laser scanning technology creates an exact replica of a pilot’s skull, thereby fabricating a portable styrofoam helmet liner that is a break-through above and beyond the traditional custom-designed helmet for each pilot.”
The statement continued, “This styrofoam cap fits into any size helmet, enabling a pilot to take the helmet liner from squadron to squadron for use throughout his or her career, optimizing the flexibility of the pilot flight equipment inventory, eliminating risk of damage to helmets during squadron transitions, and reducing investments in large inventories of helmets.”
F-35 Lightning II helmets feature some serious technology
Having a helmet with the very latest technology could mean the difference between life and death. That’s why F-35 Lightning II helmets are absolutely loaded to the brim with state-of-the-art technology.
As aforementioned, the display on the helmet allows the pilot to process absolutely everything around them with little movement. On top of this, “the pilot can look down through a portion of their wing and see what’s below,” explained Tech. Sgt. William Vass of 419th Operations Support Squadron, adding, “When they look toward the cameras embedded on the F-35, that image projects onto their helmet display.”
The best explanation of the technology comes from Maj. Justin Lee. “Imagine if you’re in a car, you’re driving and you want to eat pizza. It will put a triangle over all the pizza restaurants,” he explained via metaphor. “Obviously, we’re using it in a different way, but the helmet allows us to synthesize large amounts of information.”
F-35 Lightning II helmets are incredibly expensive
One of the most notable things about the F-35 Lightning II helmet is its price tag. The headgear comes in at $400,000 – or about the cost of a Ferrari sports car. As such, pilots develop a bond with their helmets and do their best to take care of them.
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Despite the helmets being custom molded, they don’t actually belong to the pilots. As an unnamed source told The Drive in 2021, “We – the aircrew – don’t own our helmets. While they are custom-fitted to us and you are pretty much tied to that helmet, it’s not technically yours.”