The NATO Helicopter Management Agency (NAHEMA) has Thales with the further development of the Top Owl Digital Display (DD) helmet. The reason for this procurement of 31 NH90 helicopters by the Spanish Ministry of Defense. The contract, which was concluded in cooperation with NH Industries and Safran, underlines “the common goal of further increasing the operational capability of modern NATO helicopters”, according to the press release.
The Top Owl DD is the digital evolution of the Top Owl helmet and enables NH90 pilots to operate safely even in severely restricted visibility conditions. High-resolution mission cameras – including Safran’s Eurofl’Eye – are combined with augmented reality displays and spatial warnings. This significantly improves situational awareness while reducing the crew’s workload.
Thanks to the fusion of terrain data, flight and mission sensors and improved residual light amplifiers, the helmet supports flight operations in dust, fog, snow or extremely dark nights. This significantly increases safety and the probability of success, especially during low-altitude missions and landings in difficult conditions.
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The Top Owl DD is developed and manufactured at the Thales site in Bordeaux, in close cooperation with industry partners and emergency services. Each helmet is individually adapted to the pilot’s physiology, which reduces fatigue and improves comfort during long missions.
The order consolidates the strategic cooperation between Thales, NAHEMA, the French DGA and the Spanish DGAM. “By choosing the Top Owl DD, NAHEMA confirms the leading role of this helmet, which is valued by crews worldwide for its contribution to performance and safety,” says Florent Chauvancy, Vice President Flight Avionics at Thales.
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