The F-35 thread, Mk II

[Lyneham Lad]

Not sure if this has been reported elsewhere. Article & photos in The Times on Thursday 9th.

Green glow obscures US fighter jet pilots’ vision on night flights

The US Air Force is to make urgent adjustments to the helmet worn by pilots flying America’s most advanced stealth fighter after incidents in which a “green glow” obscured their vision during night missions.

The action followed the experience of one pilot of an F-35A Lightning II who was blinded by the green glow in the helmet while he was trying to refuel in midair on January 6 over Alaska.

The effect in the $400,000 helmet came from the night-vision video feed of the surrounding environment, which is built into the headgear instead of on a screen in the cockpit.

In the dark, the glow has been causing disorientation for pilots of allthe different versions of the F-35 flown by the US air force, navy and marines.

An investigation by the US air force into the January incident reported that the F-35A pilot became confused while he was trying to lock into the KC-135 fuel tanker and later failed to see where his wingman was positioned behind him, according to Aviation Week.

“Green glow from the helmet, combined with low tanker lighting and hazy clouds, obscured the view of the other F-35A attempting to refuel and the tanker itself,” the investigation reported.

“The illumination from the helmet was so bright that the pilot needed to tilt his head and look below the display to try and see his environment,” the report said.

The pilot felt back to normal after about 30 seconds. However, he remained on autopilot for several minutes as he banked away.

The incident is similar to the experiences of navy and Marine Corps pilots trying to land on aircraft carriers at night, when green glow from the helmet’s video stream obscured the ship’s flight deck. Many pilots have reported feelings of “spatial disorientation”.

The air force investigators urged adjustments to the helmet including dimming the green lighting. The navy and Marine Corps have gone a step further by ordering an updating of the helmet. A new version is expected in 2023. The Royal Air Force, which also flies F-35s, uses a different helmet system designed by BAE Systems.