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The F-35's $400k helmet

washingtonpost.com

1–10 of 136 posts

Re: The F-35's $400k helmet

#3
The nice thing about the public scrutiny of the F-35 program, is all this normally-classified capability information that's released out to the public to get them excited about the project. Such level of publicity of cutting edge weapon systems simply didn't exist a decade ago.

Re: The F-35's $400k helmet

#6

all I can say is holy crap. but wonder if this can translate into increased situational awareness or just more distractions

It may not matter, because it seems like the F-35 is designed to optimize the movement of money around the US, and it may turn out to be a very mediocre military aircraft with very nice electronics.

Re: The F-35's $400k helmet

#7

All this technology just to kill people. It is a sad world we live in.

looking at the low tech - WWII style - war in Ukraine with a lot of civil population and property being hit, intentionally and unintentionally, i'd take high tech any time over it. For example when a full salvo (16) of unguided missiles (from "Uragan" system http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BM-27_Uragan) with 100Kg cluster warheads rains over the center of large city (Donetsk) ... i wish that US give Ukraine high-precision weapons so those weapons would be used instead.

In an interview one Russian tank gun operator was boasting "we had a good tank - it had night vision"! In 2015! He said 3 tanks out of their team's 12 were such "good" tanks (and it was regular Russian army unit, not a rebel one). Of course no laser guided, drones, or any "total battlefield awareness", etc... Just shoot whatever you see through that night vision (it was their actual order the night Ukraine forces were making their way out of Debaltsevo encirclement through the narrow bottleneck while Russian forces were shooting at them from good positions from both sides)

Re: The F-35's $400k helmet

#8
> The F-35 Lightning II is one of the most complicated weapons systems ever developed,

That is the opening sentence. And I will be surprised if it does not send chills down the spine of any person whose life will somehow depend on that airplane.

Re: The F-35's $400k helmet

#9

The nice thing about the public scrutiny of the F-35 program, is all this normally-classified capability information that's released out to the public to get them excited about the project. Such level of publicity of cutting edge weapon systems simply didn't exist a decade ago.

may be it isn't cutting edge anymore?

Re: The F-35's $400k helmet

#10
Coincidentally the same cost as the Eurofigher Typhoon's helmet: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/24/us-airshow-helmets...

> Costing about 250,000 pounds ($400,100) apiece, the helmets will be deployed in all Typhoons, of which Eurofighter has delivered 278 to six air forces and has orders for 429 more.

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