Not only that Ed, it sets up the way one could work against lasers - in
a rough sense just think about an aluminum canopy. If you can look
through the floor or through the wing you see all that you need to and
then think about actually remoting the pilot to someplace else or to
some other guy's back seat a few miles away. This is why it makes sense
to push the JSF into more development to produce both a manned and an
unmanned platform that is not made to hinge its reputation on whether or
not it can carry external stores or bomb "x" or "y", with this kind of
real ability to use stealth and enable a hands-on pilot, not some van
operator, the dynamics are opened to many new and better approaches.
The JSF could be wasted by rushing it into production as it offers
nothing better now - but think what it could down the road.



"Ed Rasimus" wrote in message
...
On 30 Apr 2007 08:24:15 -0700, wrote:

No HUD at all? Not even a backup system? Huh...wonder how that's
going
to work out.

Just like in a jet with a regular HUD - if it fails, you just use your
backup (heads-down) instruments. No big deal (except for weapons
delivery, of course - then you have to use that piece of gum you keep
in your flightsuit for just this reason).

Better view out the window, too, without all that writing cluttering
up the view!

Of course, all those HUD babies out there will probably declare an
emergency and have to be led home...

Kirk


An old buddy who has been working out of Ft. Worth with the design
team was telling me at one of the Rat reunions about the integrated
video cameras mounted in the skin that project into the helmet based
on where you are looking. If you turn to a place where the airframe is
in the way you get video from the camera on the other side of the
structure so your view is unimpeded. If you look at the wing you see
video from the bottom side so you essentially look right through it.
Look at the floor and you get the bottom fuselage video so you see
what is beneath your feet.

Might be a bit vertigo inducing, sort of like hurtling through open
space at several hundred knots with nothing around you!


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com