A US Air National Guard airman examines a JHMCS helmet in April 2023. The JHMCS is the gold standard for fighter pilot helmets, and the US military intends to keep it in service well into the future, requiring ongoing maintenance. (US Air National Guard/Airman 1st Class Tylin Rust)

America’s $240,000 Pilot Helmets Are Getting a Tune-Up

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Though a quarter of a million dollars is a steep price for a pilot helmet, the JHMCS is not just any helmet, either.

United States Air Force pilots flying the F-15 Eagle, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-15EX Eagle II, and F-16 Fighting Falcon, as well as US Navy aviators flying the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet fighter jets, all have at least a few things in common. They are among the absolute best combat pilots in the world, have reflexes comparable to the best Olympic athletes, and they mostly rely on the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS). That fighter pilot helmet, which also doubles as a targeting computer, ensures that those pilots are able to successfully complete their mission.

Just as........

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