The US Navy has taken another step toward modernizing its aviation equipment after awarding a $22.6 million contract to Gentex Corporation to supply more than 5,000 next-generation helmets for the Navy’s fleet of fixed-wing aircraft.
The new one Next-Generation Fixed Wing Helmet designed to replace the traditional HGU-55/P and HGU-68P models that have been in service for several decades. The concept is simple and extremely modern: less weight, better balance and more comfort for increasingly longer and more demanding missions — an approach that has a direct parallel to the modern ergonomic approach that is used today in the automotive industry, especially in high-performance vehicles.
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The helmet, made with a carbon fiber shell structure, shifts the center of gravity, thereby reducing the load on the pilots’ head, neck and spine. This contributes to the reduction of fatigue and physical stress during long flights at high speeds and under high G-loads.
Another highlight is the internal padding system, which is designed to keep the helmet stable even during aggressive maneuvers. In practice, this prevents devices such as night vision goggles or flight data projections from moving — essential for combat operations and advanced training.
With the future in mind, the construction uses a modular architecture that allows the integration of new communication or display systems without having to replace the entire equipment. This solution follows the technological development of cockpits, reduces costs and avoids a complete replacement with each update — along a similar logic to that used by some car manufacturers and modular platforms of on-board systems.
The new helmet will be used by U.S. Navy and Marine Corps pilots who operate aircraft such as the F/A-18 and EA-18Gwhile also ensuring compatibility with future generations of aviation technology.
Source and images: Navair | Instagram @gentex_aircrew | Wikimedia. This content is generated with the help of artificial intelligence and verified by the editors.
