Elbit Systems to Supply Helmet Display and Tracking System for the Israeli Air Force UH-60 Black Hawk Fleet.
Elbit Systems’ HUD for IAF’s Helicopter Fleet.On a moonless night over rugged terrain, a helicopter pilot’s greatest adversary is not an enemy missile — it is invisibility. Dust clouds, smoke plumes, heavy rain, and pitch-black skies can disorient even the most seasoned aviators. To confront this challenge, Elbit Systems Ltd. has announced it will supply its advanced Helmet Display and Tracking System (HDTS) to the Israeli Air Force for its fleet of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, locally known as the “Yanshuf.”
From its headquarters in Haifa, Israel defense technology company confirmed that the HDTS will significantly enhance operational capabilities and flight safety. The system overlays real-time 3D Synthetic Vision Symbology (SVS) directly into the pilot’s field of view, rendering terrain, obstacles, and mission routes as clear digital constructs — even when the outside world disappears into a brown haze.
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Synthetic landing zones and head-tracking precision redefine safety margins
Brownout conditions — when helicopter rotor wash kicks up dense clouds of dust — have historically posed severe landing hazards. With HDTS, pilots receive a synthetic landing-zone display that maintains constant situational awareness. Instead of guessing at invisible ground references, crews see a stabilized, virtual representation aligned precisely with reality.
Open architecture enables sensor fusion and next-generation operations
Elbit Systems’ HUD for IAF’s Helicopter Fleet.
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The system’s Line-of-Sight (LOS) head-tracking technology ensures that symbology follows the pilot’s gaze in real time. When a pilot turns their head, the projected data aligns instantly with the new viewing direction. This seamless interaction enhances coordination between cockpit crew members and reduces the cognitive strain that can lead to human error during high-pressure missions.
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From Helmet Display to Integrated Combat Ecosystem
Unlike earlier helmet-mounted displays that primarily relayed basic flight data, HDTS is built on an open and modular architecture. It integrates with ISR platforms, thermal imaging systems, navigation aids, obstacle-detection sensors, and external video feeds. This fusion creates a continuous, unified picture of the operational environment — day or night, in all weather conditions.
Yoram Shmuely, General Manager of Aerospace at Elbit Systems, emphasized that this program represents a transition from standalone helmet displays to a fully integrated aircrew solution. It signals a doctrinal shift: the helmet is no longer an accessory — it is a central node in the aircraft’s digital nervous system.
Technology leadership rooted in Israel’s innovation ecosystem
The collaboration reinforces the longstanding partnership between Elbit Systems and the Israeli Air Force. As a global leader in helmet technologies across fighter jets, transport aircraft, and rotary platforms, Elbit continues to expand its footprint in next-generation aviation systems.
Driven by Israel’s agile technology ecosystem, the company develops solutions aimed at enabling rapid adaptation to evolving battlefield threats. For helicopter crews flying into uncertainty, HDTS may prove to be the thin digital line between mission success and catastrophe.
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