F-35's Heavier Helmet Complicates Ejection Risks
WASHINGTON — In the latest hurdle for the Pentagon's F-35 joint strike fighter, testers this summer discovered an increased risk of neck damage when a lightweight pilot is ejecting from the plane. The Joint Program Office blamed the phenomenon on the jet's ejection seat, Martin-Baker's US16E. But interviews conducted by Defense News in recent weeks indicate the added weight and bulk of the new F-35 helmet complicates the problem.
It is still unclear whether the blame rests squarely with the helmet, or the seat, or somewhere in between.
F-35's Heavier Helmet Complicates Ejection Risks