WASHINGTON — BAE Systems has brought a capability to the US for the first time that allows soldiers wearing a helmet-mounted monocle to "see through" their armored vehicle.
The company used its advanced jet fighter technology from the Eurofighter Typhoon helmet to develop the BattleView 360 system that consists of a monocle and touch-screen display. The monocle has the ability to see a video feed — both visual and infrared — from the vehicle's cameras and relevant symbology.
Commanders also can quickly assess information and make decisions for targeting or other purposes through the touch-screen display. The commander also can view the display of other crew members, such as the gunner.
The digital mapping system "collates, displays, and tracks the positions of all surrounding features of interest in two- or three-dimensional modes," according to the company.
The system also can be used by dismounted soldiers to send information back to the vehicle.
"The agile situational awareness system gives vehicle crews a real-time, 360-degree view of their surrounding environment, better enabling decision making, friend-or-foe classification, communication of plans and instructions to other vehicle crews, and safer route planning," BAE said.
Battleview 360 can be designed easily into multiple existing types of vehicles, operating systems and radios, according to BAE.
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Jen Judson is an award-winning journalist covering land warfare for Defense News. She has also worked for Politico and Inside Defense. She holds a Master of Science degree in journalism from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyon College.
