AH-64 aviator impressions of IHADSS HMD flight in Operation Iraqi Freedom

Abstract

As part of a 2003 survey during Operation Iraqi Freedom, forty AH-64 Apache aviators were interviewed regarding their experience using the AH-64's monocular helmet-mounted display (HMD). Participants represented a total of 8564 flight hours and 2260 combat hours in the OIF theatre of operation. The interview consisted of 12 questions that addressed previously identified potential problem areas (e.g., maintaining full field-of-view [FOV], combiner breakage, and sensor slew rate) and requested participant opinion on the best and worst features of the IHADSS, day versus night use of the IHADSS, and the acceptance of a hypothetical binocular IHADSS design. Participants expressed a desire for a larger FOV; emphasized the impact of poor helmet fit on ability to achieve and maintain a full FOV; decried the overall performance of the current FLIR sensors; and reported that the current slew rates for the PNVS and TADS are slower than desired (worse for TADS), necessitating compensation in normal head movement rates

Performance effects of mounting a helmet-mounted display on the ANVIS mount of the HGU-56P helmet

“…By mounting the IHADSS behind the tinted visor, Apache aviators are capable of flying daylight missions with HMD symbology. 1,2 Mounting the HMD combiner lens outside of the visor's position will have performance issues (e.g., center of mass, image contrast, etc.) that need to be understood, and engineering solutions must be sought to overcome these performance losses.…”