THE HELMET SEXTANT TOPOWL®

 
Photo Sextant
Pilots flying the Tiger, Europe's newest attack helicopter, can wear the Topowl day/night helmet-mounted sight and display. This system comprises a basic lightweight flying helmet weighing 650 grams (1.4 pounds), on which several different modules can be attached. The total weight of a fully equipped Topowl runs about 1.8 kilograms for day-only operations or 2.2 kilograms (4.8 pounds) for the nighttime configuration. 
A display module designed for Topowl configured for day or night operations uses a binocular display employing a 40-degree field of view. Two image intensifier tubes--one for each eye--also are included. The display includes symbology and either an external FLIR image or an image-intensified scene from the helmet sensors. Visor projection can include the FLIR or television raster imagery as well as stroke symbology. Beck notes that this helmet currently is flying on the fifth prototype Tiger, the PT5. 
Variations in the helmet follow differences in Tiger versions. Topowl--with its full-binocular day/night capability--is designed for the Tiger HAC version, which features a nose-mounted FLIR. Another Tiger replaces the FLIR with a nose-mounted cannon, and the helmet for this craft substitutes the Topowl target designation module that is used to direct the cannon. 

The day-only system features a reticle module that employs a light-emitting diode light source. The nighttime system uses a cathode ray tube light source. The helmet-mounted gunsight version weighs about 1.35 kilograms (3 pounds). Both feature 60-millimeter eye relief. 
How the Sextant company présents the system Topowl®:
January 24, 2000 

MAJOR CONTRACT ON THE TIGER HELICOPTER

Sextant inks new contract for Topowl® helmet-mounted sight/display

On December 31, 1999, French defense procurement agency, the Delegation Générale pour l'Armement (DGA) awarded Sextant the contract to supply 160 binocular helmet-mounted sight/displays (HMSD/B) for the Tiger attack helicopter (both HAP and HAC versions). 
The HMSD/B is based on Sextant's Topowl® helmet-mounted sight/display for helicopters, which has already been selected for the European NH 90 and South African Rooivalk helicopters. 
With up to 1,000 units to be delivered for these programs, Topowl® is the world's most successful binocular HMD for helicopters. Furthermore, it is the only one to have received a production contract.

Sextant's Topowl® features a modular design, with optimized balance and day/night mission capability. The basic helmet provides conventional physiological protection and communications functions, while the display module projects imagery on the visor, using integrated night vision sensors (image intensifier tubes), FLIR, video and/or synthetic symbology. 

Topowl® is a purpose-built, state-of-the-art system, based on proven technologies and offering significant technical and operational advantages over other helmet-mounted display systems: 

Enhanced situational awareness and safety, due to visor projection technology.

Binocular, wide field-of-view, in a light, well-balanced headgear.

Modular design, with a basic helmet personalized for each pilot, and a display module that remains in the helicopter, thus reducing cost of ownership. 

Accurate head-position sensing (tracking) technology, flight proven in the helicopter environment. 

Compatible with NBC kits, head-in displays and aircrew equipment kits, including personal spectacles.

Image intensifier tubes optically integrated in the display module, for enhanced dual-sensor night mission capability. 

Integrated cursive symbol generator, for clearly readable symbology under all conditions. 
The helmet-mounted sight/display is an essential part of the man-machine interface on modern helicopters. Sextant's Topowl® sets the industry standard, with enhanced attack, transport and SAR mission effectiveness under all conditions: day/night, or adverse weather
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