The Eurofighter consortium, comprising Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK, has granted BAE Systems a €161m ($169.51m) contract to advance the development of the Striker II Helmet Mounted-Display (HMD) for the next generation of Typhoon pilots.  

Awarded by the four-nation Eurofighter consortium the contract will enable BAE Systems engineers to enhance the helmet's capabilities through ongoing flight testing. 

Eurofighter partner nations have used Typhoon to conduct 80% of operational missions in the past two years. It is also actively operational with the Middle Eastern air forces. 

Eurofighter Chief Executive Giancarlo Mezzanatto said: “Eurofighter has always been at the forefront of technological advancement and this contract - to further develop Striker II – will ensure that Typhoon pilots continue to fly a world-leading aircraft, wearing a world-leading all-digital helmet. The contract award is also great news for the programme, as the international commitment to the development of the helmet will provide full synergies across our Air Forces.” 

Striker II is a fighter aircraft helmet that features an all-digital night vision system and a daylight-readable colour display.  

This system projects mission data directly onto the pilot's visor, ensuring essential information is readily accessible. 

The EBAPS night vision, optional 3D audio, and proven target tracking technology in a visor-projected digital HMD system. 

BAE Systems Air Europe & International managing director Richard Hamilton said: “The Striker II helmet aims to give the next generation of Typhoon pilots a crucial advantage in what is an increasingly congested and contested battlespace.  

“This continued investment by the Eurofighter nations secures highly skilled jobs and enables our teams to further develop the helmet’s capabilities and move it another step closer to production.” 

The contract is anticipated to sustain more than 200 skilled positions at BAE Systems' combat air facility in Warton, Lancashire, and its Electronic Systems site in Rochester, Kent, which focuses on helmet-mounted displays.  

This development builds on a previous £40m ($50.8m) contract from the UK Ministry of Defence announced in September 2023, which includes upcoming flight trials for the helmet. 

This latest funding will support the next phase of development, aiming to bring the helmet to a production-ready state.