TopOwl chosen for A400M

Thales has revealed that its TopOwl HMSD (helmet-mounted sight and display) has been selected by the Organisation for Joint Armaments Cooperation (OCCAR) for flight testing on board the A400M prototype.

The purpose of the tests, scheduled between June 2012 and April 2013, is to confirm compatibility of HMSD with the military transport aircraft for night missions, the company said in a 12 July statement.

During the campaign, A400M pilots will benefit from the integrated night vision function of the TopOwl.

According to Thales, the equipment meets all the demands of latest-generation transport aircraft cockpits and ensures that the symbology and EVS (Enhanced Vision System) imagery projected on the head up display are compatible with the intensified night vision imagery.

‘TopOwl is the only HMSD system in service to incorporate a night vision function,’ the statement said.

‘It offers the same performance as the latest generation of night vision goggles but provides a significantly higher level of comfort, enabling pilots to fly long missions in complete safety.’

With more than 1,000 systems delivered to date, TopOwl has been selected for numerous combat helicopters and has been used in deep-night missions conducted by combat helicopters in Libya and Afghanistan.

Its use on transport aircraft is less common, however. Airbus Military is currently carrying out exercises to demonstrate the aircraft’s ability to carry a wide range of military equipment as required by the launch nations.

On 18 June it was announced that the loading of the NH Industries NH90 and Eurocopter EC725 helicopters onto the A400M airlifter had been successfully carried out.