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The F-22 Raptor Facts: 30 Things to Know

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A Helmet Upgrade 10 Years in the Making Will Make F-22 More Effective

F-22 helmet
First Lt. Brady Amack, 95th Fighter Squadron F-22 Raptor pilot, conducts final check before takeoff from Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Nov. 5 during a training mission. The 95th FS projects unrivaled combat air power supporting national military objectives and Combatant Commander requirements through strategic application of 5th generation air dominance fighter aircraft and personnel.
Senior Airman Sergio A. Gamboa, U.S. Air Force

Another upgrade the US Air Force is looking to make on the F-22 is the helmet technology for its pilots. In 2015, the USAF published a development schedule and requirements list to be completed by 2020. The helmet upgrades have been in talks for over ten years, but budget issues have repeatedly hindered the maturation of the project.

According to the requirements, the program will utilize the Gentex HGU-55/P helmet either in its current form or modified for F-22 Raptor pilots. One of the functions it will require is day and night cueing of weapons high off-boresight (HOBS) which will go hand in hand with the recently integrated AIM 9X Sidewinder HOBS missile. The helmet will also need to display video feeds and other data from these devices. The dedication to the helmet update is an encouraging sign that the USAF is getting behind the future of the F-22s again.