IronVision Helmet Mounted Display (HMS)

The IronVision Helmet Mounted Display (HMS) fits all types of Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) and Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs). Tanks were invented to be modern, mobile castles from which soldiers could fight and move in relative safety. Tank armor is not, however, easy to see through. Vision is usually minimal inside of tanks.

At the international defense and security industry trade show Eurosatory in June 2016, Elbit unveilled the IronVision, the first Helmet Mounted Display (HMS) designed for the crews of armored vehicles. IronVision is a 360-degree panoramic situational awareness system, part of Elbit’s See-Through Armor (STA) architecture, that enables tank and infantry crewmen to “see-through” their vehicle’s armor in real-time, creating a clear and complete visualization of the battlefield, even when the hatches are down. There is the problem with latency, or video lag. Elbit promises that the IronVision will have “zero latency,” possibly through a direct feed (i.e. a cable) the driver can plug into.

The helmet support system collects information from different digital sources within and around the vehicle, displays and tracks the positions of various features of interest ranging from a single person standing or crawling several meters near the vehicle to a moving vehicle located 150–300 meters away. By using the helmet, the wearer obtains the complete freedom of movement and can shorten the sensor-to-shooter cycle, all while remaining protected, under closed hatches.

Israel’s Elbit Systems may have found a new way around that — militarized VR goggles. The company’s new “IronVision” system promises to give tank drivers a full range of vision without making them leave the tank. The system appears to be a sort of visor, or heads-up-display.

The competing virtual-reality Oculus Rift headset was put to a novel use by the Norwegian army - helping soldiers to drive tanks. By mounting cameras on the outside of the tank, soldiers were able to create a 360-degree feed to the Oculus headset, worn by the driver. The device - still just a prototype - was much cheaper than conventional military camera systems. But the picture quality was not yet good enough for operational use. The Norweigan army began testing the headset in 2013 and in April 2014 tried out the latest iteration of the hardware. "It is a partial success," project leader Maj Ola Petter Odden told the BBC. "The concept is sound, but the technology isn't quite there yet. The picture quality is good for 10-15m [30-50ft] - but after that it is difficult to distinguish details, for example whether an opponent is carrying a weapon."

In the rapidly growing Helmet Mounted Systems (HMS) market Elbit Systems operates from a position of global leadership, having innovated, developed and integrated several generations of HMS for both fixed and rotary-wing aircraft. Elbit Systems, together with subsidiary RCEVS, jointly owned with Rockwell Collins has more production and operational experience than any other company in the field.

HMS incorporate tracking and display systems for target designation, weapon and sensor slaving and processing and display of tactical information day and night. They are supplied as part of upgrade programs as well as on a stand-alone basis.

Elbit Systems fixed-wing HMS technology is a significant part of for the US Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) program.Through RCEVS, all frontline US F-15, F-16 and F/A-18 have or are being equipped with the JHMCS. The pre-eminence in the field extends to helicopter HMS, particularly in the attack rotorcraft HMS market, where ANVIS/HUD™ is the preferred choice for utility rotorcraft platforms. More than 5,000 helicopters worldwide are equipped with Elbit Systems ANVIS HUD systems. The core competencies developed over time, combined with commercial aviation technologies, are now being applied to new HMS needs, such as through the Targo and Digital JHMCS systems.