home Technology Aircraft This System will Supply Enhanced Situational Awareness

This System will Supply Enhanced Situational Awareness

Oct 28, 2019

Photo-illus-by-US-Air-National-Guard — U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Andrew Bruno adjusts his night vision goggles on April 10, 2014 at Fort Dix, N.J. The New Jersey Army and Air National Guardsmen took part in a joint training exercise with the U.S. Marine Corps. Bruno is an air laison officer from the New Jersey Air National Guard's 227th Air Support Operations Squadron. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Matt Hecht/Released)

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When flying an aircraft, access to information is critical. Advanced display technology can provide the enhanced situational awareness required for mission success.

A new night vision system will replace the current family of AN/AVS-9 night-vision goggles and helmet-mounted displays on US helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft. The new system will reportedly fulfill the requirements for a helmet-mounted display with night-vision capability that can generate symbols and imagery, and integrate with existing helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft.

Within the framework of the $24.7 million contract, Collins Aerospace will develop the Enhanced Visual Acuity (EVA) system. The EVA is to increase flight safety and mission effectiveness by enabling Navy and Marine Corps helicopter and tiltrotor aircraft crews maintain visual situational awareness down to very low altitudes during the day and at night — especially in degraded visual conditions like blowing dust and snow, according to militaryaerospace.com.

The new system also will provide a heads-up display for pilot and co-pilot viewing of aircraft-generated video that is relevant to their missions.

For flight crew members who do not need flight helmets, the EVA will provide a helmet-mounted night-vision goggle with enhanced night vision capability to help crew members do their jobs in degraded visual environments.

The system will display enhanced night scene, video, and symbology, and offer night-vision performance at least as good as the L-3 Technologies ANVIS-9 night-vision goggles that are deployed today.

It is promised that there will be no image artifacts to degrade aircrew’s ability to perceive night scenes accurately. The field of view will be of at least 40 degrees horizontal and vertical, and as wide as 110 degrees horizontal and 60 degrees vertical.

Blooming and haloing effects around light sources will be less than seen in current night-vision goggles, and the display will be able to present color images during the day and at night.