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Deck landings around the clock with the Thales TopOwl helmet-mounted sight display

29 August 2007

Aircrews were equipped with TopOwl, an advanced helmet-mounted sight display designed and manufactured by Thales.

The trials were part of the standard 1 qualification of the HAP Tiger to determine its capability to operate from French Navy ships. They took place within the framework of navalization trials on two French Navy vessels, the Amphibious Landing Dock (ALD) Siroco and the Lafayette-type frigate Guépratte under the supervision of Eurocopter and the French General Delegation for Armaments (DGA).

The helicopter made more than 300 deck landings in daylight, at night and in extreme weather conditions including strong swell and high winds.

TopOwl helped to bring the Tigers down safely and with pinpoint precision, particularly at night. Thales's sight is based on a unique concept using light intensifier tubes to project an image on the helmet's visor, letting pilots concentrate on surveillance and obstacle-avoidance while maintaining perfect vision of the landing area and checking flight data on the cockpit instruments.

Furthermore TopOwl has the unique advantage to be able to display, on the visor, images coming from other sensors like FLIR or Obstacle Warning System (OWS) or from Synthetic Vision System (SVS) allowing an all weather conditions piloting of the helicopter.

The ergonomic design of the TopOwl helmet, with its low weight and perfect balance, also relieves pilot workload during difficult flight phases such as deck landings at night.

The sea trials once again confirmed TopOwl's outstanding qualities, validating procurement decisions by more than fifteen nations that have chosen the helmet-mounted sight for five different helicopter types (Tiger, NH-90, Cobra AH-1Z, Huey UH-1Y and Rooivalk). They have helped TopOwl to consolidate its position as the most advanced helmet-mounted sight display on the market worldwide. More than 360 units have been delivered to date.

Notes to editors
Thales is designer and supplier of TopOwl, the most advanced Helicopter piloting Helmet Mounted Sight Display system available to date. TopOwl is currently in production in its CRT based configuration and has delivered more than 360 systems to both US and International customers in 15 countries. More than 1500 will be delivered over the next 10 years for those programs for which TopOwl is already selected.

Thales plays a major role in the Tiger programme as a supplier of core avionics and mission specific capabilities, navigation systems, communications system, surveillance - self-protection - identification system and utilities.

About Thales

Thales is a leading international electronics and systems group, addressing defence, aerospace and security markets worldwide. Thales's leading-edge technology is supported by 22 000 R&D engineers who offer a capability unmatched in Europe to develop and deploy field-proven mission-critical information systems. To this end, the group's civil and military businesses develop in parallel and share a common base of technologies to serve a single objective: the security of people, property and nations. The group builds its growth on its unique multi-domestic strategy based on trusted partnerships with national customers and market players, while leveraging its global expertise to

support local technology and industrial development. Thales employs 68,000 people in 50 countries with forecast 2007 revenues in excess of € 12 billion.