acquires helmets with integrated display and multifunctional screens for the Rafale F4

Thales has been awarded a contract to supply 350 Scorpion helmets with integrated display (HMD) and 400 multifunctional touch screens to equip the French Aerospace Force and Naval Aviation Dassault Rafale that will be upgraded to F4 standard. The company was hired by the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) of the French Government.

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Along with the aircraft's weapons systems, the Scorpion helmet-mounted integrated sight and display enhance tactical situational awareness and allow aircrews to respond faster and with greater agility to a wider range of threats. Its progressive deployment on the Rafale F4 will be a decisive advantage in ensuring the success of missions and protecting populations, Thales said in a statement issued on Thursday (22).

In April, conducted the first tests with two Fighters updated to 4.1 standard, being an Air Force Rafale B and a Navy Rafale M. In the tests, the pilots used the Thales Scorpion helmet.

Rafale M pilot with a helmet equipped with the Thales Scorpion. Image: DGA/Screenshot.

Used on several platforms, such as the A-10C Thunderbolt II, F-5AT Tiger II Aggressor and F-16 Fighting Falcon, the Thales Scorpion works by projecting flight and datalink information onto a monocle mounted over the crew member's right eye, unlike the American JHMCS used by multiple countries, where information is projected onto the helmet visor.

HMD symbology gathers information from sensors onboard the aircraft to help pilots accomplish their missions in even the most challenging situations, creating a continuum between the cockpit and the outside world to radically improve tactical awareness. Along with the weapons system, the display can be used to designate and track targets anywhere in the pilot's field of view, daylight and night.

Pilot of a Spanish Air Force EF-18M Hornet using the Thales Scorpion. Photo via Aviation Today.

" When the success of a mission is decided in a split second, aircrews must be able to understand the tactical environment quickly and intuitively interact with the aircraft's systems,” said Jean-Paul Ebanga, Thales vice president for avionics.

Pilot of an F-5AT Tiger II of the civilian company TacAir wearing a Thales Scorpion helmet. Photo: Brad Holeski @short.stories.of.a.shutter

“We are delighted to have this opportunity to provide future Rafale F4 crews with an operational advantage that will be critical to the success of their missions, thanks to state-of-the-art equipment that offers advanced display capabilities and enhanced interaction with weapons systems."

The 400 digital multifunctional displays will replace the side displays on the Rafales in service with , which are mainly used to inform the pilot about the status of the aircraft's systems and provide images from its onboard sensors. The new equipment offers a larger display area, an improved touch screen interface and greater processing power, highlights the manufacturer.

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