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The Gentex PURSUIT Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet

Monday, March 10th, 2025

Lighter. Stronger. Built for every mission.

As the world-leading provider of advanced headborne protection, Gentex understands that helmets are more than just equipment—they are essential to mission success and directly impact aircrew comfort, focus, and long-term health. For decades, the Gentex HGU-55/P and HGU-68/P have provided reliable protection for aircrew operating in demanding environments, but as mission requirements have grown so has the burden on aircrew who were forced to adapt to the added weight from the incorporation of night vision goggles (NVGs) and helmet mounted displays (HMDs). As a result, aircrew have endured increased neck strain and discomfort and have often required multiple helmets to meet an expanding set of mission requirements. Now Gentex delivers the next generation of advanced headborne protection: the PURSUIT helmet reduces weight, enhances comfort, and eliminates compromises, ensuring aircrew are equipped for today’s missions and ready for the future.

The PURSUIT Advantage
Lightweight, adaptable, and mission-ready, the PURSUIT helmet delivers unmatched comfort and performance in a single, modular system thatprovides aircrew the ability to adapt to various mission requirements without sacrificing protection or performance and eliminates the need for multiple helmets, which means reduced cost, less gear to manage, and increased aircrew readiness and combat effectiveness.

Designed for Endurance, Comfort, and Performance
The PURSUIT helmet’s advanced, lightweight carbon shell reduces neck and spine strain, significantly lowering the risk of short and long-term injuries from prolonged missions and high-G maneuvers. The enhanced ventilation system prevents heat buildup, and fire-resistant, moisture-wicking, high-performance comfort pads increase aircrew comfort and mission readiness during long-duration flights. The PURSUIT helmet’soptimized balance and center of gravity, as well as its enhanced nape design, provide aircrew with a secure, stable fit that keeps the helmet in place during dynamic maneuvering in all HMD/NVG configurations. With four helmet sizes, the PURSUIT helmet delivers an optimal, out-of-the-box fit for more than 99% of aircrew, ensuring exceptional comfort and performance.

Mission-Ready and Future-Proof
The PURSUIT helmet isn’t just built for today—it’s engineered for the future. Fully compliant with USN and USAF performance standards, the PURSUIT helmet is designed with future warfighting requirements in mind. Gentex’s Modular Open System Approach (MOSA) in our helmet system design allows for the seamless integration of current and future HMDs, as well as advanced communications systems and optical and respiratory protection, to provide adaptability, aircrew safety, and warfighting capability for decades to come.

For more than 75 years, Gentex has set the standard in aircrew protection, delivering combat-proven innovation to those who serve. The PURSUIT™ next generation fixed wing helmet isn’t just a helmet—it’s a tactical advantage.

Designed For Comfort. Built For Performance.

Gentex Corporation Awarded Navy OTA for Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet Program

Learn more about the PURSUIT helmet

Posted in Advertiser, Aviation, Helmets, Press Release | Comments Off on The Gentex PURSUIT Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet

Air Force Designates Two Mission Design Series for Collaborative Combat Aircraft

Friday, March 7th, 2025

WASHINGTON (AFNS) —

The U.S. Air Force announced the designation of two Mission Design Series within its Collaborative Combat Aircraft program today: the YFQ-42A (General Atomics) and the YFQ-44A (Anduril).

Representing the first in a new generation of uncrewed fighter aircraft, both will be crucial in securing air superiority for the Joint Force in future conflicts. These aircraft are designed to leverage autonomous capabilities and crewed-uncrewed teaming to defeat enemy threats in contested environments.

Concepts of the uncrewed fighter aircraft YFQ-42A (bottom) and the YFQ-44A are pictured in artwork. The aircraft are designed to leverage autonomous capabilities and crewed-uncrewed teaming to defeat enemy threats in contested environments. (U.S. Air Force artwork courtesy of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. and Anduril Industries)

“Now we have two prototypes of Collaborative Combat Aircraft,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin. “They were only on paper less than a couple of years ago, and they are going to be ready to fly this summer.”

The MDS designation provides a standardized framework for identifying and classifying these aircraft:

• Status Prefix: Y- Prototype (The “Y” will be dropped upon entering production)

• Basic Mission: F – Fighter

• Vehicle Type: Q – Unmanned Aircraft

• Design Number: 42 / 44

• Series: A – 1st Version

“For the first time in our history, we have a fighter designation in the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A,” Allvin added. “It may be just symbolic, but we are telling the world we are leaning into a new chapter of aerial warfare. It means collaborative combat aircraft, it means human-machine teaming. We are developing those capabilities thinking, ‘mission first.’”

The Air Force will continue to work closely with its industry partners to mature the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A prototypes through rigorous testing and evaluation. The insights gained from these efforts will be crucial in shaping the future of the CCA program and solidifying the Air Force’s position at the forefront of airpower innovation.

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

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GA-ASI Welcomes USAF Designation for New CCA: YFQ-42A

Wednesday, March 5th, 2025

SAN DIEGO – 3 March 2025 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) welcomes the U.S. Air Force’s designation for its Collaborative Combat Aircraft: the new uncrewed jet fighter will be called the YFQ-42A. The announcement on Monday followed an earlier USAF decision in 2024 that GA-ASI was selected to develop and build the YFQ-42A.

“We’re proud to get a new official aircraft designation,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “YFQ-42A continues a long and distinguished history for GA-ASI that dates back to the 1990s and the debut of the RQ-1 Predator®, which later changed to MQ-1 Predator. That uncrewed aircraft gave way to the MQ-9A Reaper®, the MQ-20 Avenger®, our new MQ-9B SkyGuardian® and SeaGuardian®, and many others.

“These aircraft represent an unrivaled history of capable, dependable uncrewed platforms that meet the needs of America’s warfighters and point the way to a significant new era for airpower.”

The Air Force selected YFQ-42A as the Mission Design Series (MDS) for GA-ASI’s CCA prototype, representing the first in a new generation of unmanned fighter aircraft. YFQ-42A will be critical in securing air dominance for the Joint Force in future conflicts, leveraging autonomous capabilities and crewed-uncrewed teaming to defeat enemy threats in contested environments.

The Air Force is developing Autonomous Collaborative Platforms to maintain its air superiority. Semi-autonomous aircraft, like YFQ-42A, will enhance flexibility, affordability, and mission effectiveness. YFQ-42A will enhance air superiority as a flexible, affordable force multiplier. It is designed to integrate seamlessly with current and next-generation crewed aircraft, expanding mission capabilities and ensuring continued air dominance. In short, YFQ-42A provides fighter capacity – affordable mass – at a lower cost and on a threat-relevant timeline.

The YFQ-42A designation follows the Air Force’s decision to designate GA-ASI’s highly common predecessor aircraft as the XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station. The XQ-67A was ordered by the Air Force Research Lab to support the development of concepts necessary to implement the vision for CCA.

In the Air Force system, an “X” plane is designed for testing and experimentation, while “Y” describes initial production-representative aircraft, usually ahead of a formal program. “F” is for fighter and “Q” designates an uncrewed aircraft. Once the production-representative aircraft moves into production, the “Y” will drop from the prefix.

GA-ASI will have a one-sixth scale model of the YFQ-42A on display during the Air Warfare Symposium March 3-5, 2025, in booth #1003.

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Press Release | Comments Off on GA-ASI Welcomes USAF Designation for New CCA: YFQ-42A

AFSOC Reveals Name for OA-1K: Skyraider II

Monday, March 3rd, 2025

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. —

AFSOCs newest airframe, the OA-1K, will officially be the Skyraider II. AFSOC leaders made the announcement today at the Special Air Warfare Symposium. The moniker renews the rugged and versatile nature of the A-1 Skyraider, which was in service from 1946 to the early 1980s.

“I am excited about the Skyraider II, I think we have a capability that’s only ours, and we are going to have the ability to shape that into something that the rest of the nation might not even know they need right now,” said Lt. Gen. Michael Conley, Air Force Special Operations commander.

The Skyraider II is a cost-effective crewed aircraft that is adaptable across the spectrum of conflict. It will have the ability to support special operations forces as well as the Joint Force through close air support, precision strike, and armed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.

“AFSOC has enduring global missions,” said Brig. Gen. Craig Prather, AFSOC’s Director of Strategic Plans, Programs and Requirements. “While we don’t expect the Skyraider II to go mix it up with 5th and 6th generation fighters, it will provide value to our supported forces globally.”

The Skyraider II is a lean, agile, modular, and hardened aircraft but one of the most distinguishing feature, like its namesake, is its tailwheel. This prominent feature gives the Skyraider II the capability for short takeoffs and landings as well as the ability to operate from unimproved or austere airfields.

“Providing scalable and precision effects is where the Skyraider II will come in. The Skyraider II could take on missions from the southwest border to Africa and create dilemmas to those we are in competition with,” said Prather.

While in use during the Korean War and Vietnam War, the Skyraider provided extra muscle and firepower for Air Commando combat operations. Its sturdy and persistent nature was showcased when Maj. Bernard Fisher was awarded the first Medal of Honor for an Airman in the Southeast Asia War in an A-1E Skyraider. Later in 1968, Lt. Col. William A. Jones III also received the United States military’s highest decoration – the Medal of Honor – for his actions in an A-1H Skyraider.

The first Skyraider II is expected to arrive at Hurlburt Field in Spring 2025.

Air Force Special Operations Command

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Guest Post, SOF | 1 Comment »

Integris and QinetiQ Collaborate on U.S. Army Helicopter Armor

Wednesday, February 26th, 2025

Integris and QinetiQ Join Forces to Enhance Survivability of Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA)

Legacy Resource for Defense Prime Contractors

25 February 2025 – Integris Composites, Inc., a global leader in armor protection for military, police and security has become a Tier 1 supplier of military helicopter armor for defense departments and prime contractors.

Integris Composites, a leading supplier of advanced armor systems, recently announced it is partnering with QinetiQ US to provide armor systems for the U.S. Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA)—the next-generation helicopter program that addresses the U.S. Army’s requirements for increased speed, range, and survivability.

“This collaboration builds upon Integris’ initial selection byBell Textron to provide armor systems for the FLRAA, further solidifying the positioning of Integris Composites in the cutting-edge military aviation sector,” said David Cordova, chief commercial officer of Integris, Inc.

ARMOR SYSTEM: Bell Textron, Inc. has selected Integris Composites to supply armor for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA). The Bell V-280 Valor pictured here was chosen by the US Army as the winner of Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft Program. The new assault aircraft will fly twice as far and twice as fast as the current fleet.

Integris has awarded QinetiQ the contract to provide systems engineering and integration expertise for the materials technology that will be used on both the floor and wing of the advanced rotorcraft. Cordova said this is the latest collaboration in the history between QinetiQ and Integris.

The FLRAA program has entered the engineering and manufacturing development phase, with Bell reporting it has commenced detailed design work on six prototypes.

“We are extremely proud to be part of the team behind this innovative rotorcraft that is ushering in what will become the U.S. Army’s new long-range assault aircraft,” Cordova continued. The QinetiQ-Integris collaboration leverages Integris’ expertise in lightweight, fit-for-purpose composite military armor, which has been successfully applied to various aerospace projects.

Cordova said that Integris, in alignment with other industry partners, supports key program objectives, including Bell’s Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), increased survivability, and alignment with the broader Future Vertical Lift (FVL) initiative, as the FLRAA progresses toward prototype testing in 2026 and fielding by 2030.

Global Helicopter Armor Resource

“Integris is today entering its fourth decade of business as a reliable resource for major military commands as well as a robust partner of choice for the world’s top defense contractors. We are a credentialed tier one supplier to aerospace original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and prime defense contractors throughout the world,” said Cordova.

The company is supplying armor kits for the new Boeing MH-139 Grey Wolf that will replace the UH-60 Black Hawk for the U.S. Air Force. “We are part of a storied lineage that traces its roots back to the iconic Vietnam-era ‘Huey’ (UH-1 Iroquois) and present-day Black Hawk, which since 1979 has been the Army’s Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System (UTTAS),” Cordova continued.

Integris has provided ballistic protection for various international helicopter platforms, including:

Airbus H-125 – special lightweight, high-performance kits for U.S. Customs and Border Patrol

Airbus Military – H135, NH90, H145, H225M (Super Puma), H175, and potentially the H160

Leonardo Helicopters – AW159, AW101, and AW169

Trusted Resource

In addition to armor kits for rotorcraft, the company has been contracted to support Velocity Systems, the Battelle Memorial Institute, Mack Defense, American Rheinmetall Vehicles, and the Air Force Institute of Technology.

Integris also has a strong reputation for the body armor plates that protect military personnel around the world. “We are pleased to report that our Cratus™ Wave ballistic armor, an innovative thinner and heat stress-reducing body armor insert, was ordered by the U.S. Air Force 582nd Helicopter Group.

Posted in Armor, Army, Aviation, Industry, Press Release | Comments Off on Integris and QinetiQ Collaborate on U.S. Army Helicopter Armor

SOFWERX – SBIR 25.4 Pre-release: Aviation Goggle Mount & Operator Portable Oxygen Generation Device

Friday, February 7th, 2025

The USSOCOM Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program will soon be accepting submissions for the technology area of interest:

Special Areas of Interest
Phase I:
SOCOM254-003: Aviation Goggle Mount

The objective of this topic is to research and develop an innovative Aviation Goggle Mount capability that will be employed on various aviator helmets with various night vision goggle systems (i.e. AN/AVS-6 and Wide Field of View Aviation Goggles (WFOVAG) and shall interface with an Aviation Night Vision Imaging System (ANVIS) mount that is used by Special Operations Forces.

Direct to Phase II:
SOCOM254-D002: Operator Portable Oxygen Generation Device

The objective of this topic is to develop applied research toward an innovative capability to improve oxygen therapy at point-of-need in an austere pre-hospital environment. The goal is to develop a field instrument that is rugged, compact, and able to provide oxygen to patients and oxygen generation capabilities as far-forward as possible to reduce the need for oxygen cylinders.

SOFWERX will host a virtual Q&A session for the areas of interest on 18 February at 2:00 PM ET.

Click Here to RSVP (RSVP NLT 17 February 2025 11:59 PM ET)
Submit your proposal: (Submissions open 26 February 2025 12:00PM ET (Noon))

Posted in Aviation, Medical, Optics, Research, SOF | Comments Off on SOFWERX – SBIR 25.4 Pre-release: Aviation Goggle Mount & Operator Portable Oxygen Generation Device

2025 Special Air Warfare Symposium Registration Now Open

Wednesday, January 29th, 2025

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. – Registration to attend the 2025 Special Air Warfare Symposium taking place Feb 25-27 at Fort Walton Beach, Florida is now open. SAWS is a large, annual, global SOF Aviation gathering that brings together leaders, innovators, and industry experts to ensure the readiness of our SOF warfighters.

Now in its third year, 2025 SAWS overall theme is Forging the Future: Advancing SOF Aviation for Tomorrow’s Victory. This focus is on rejecting incremental improvements and instead the active pursuit of transformative capabilities that will rapidly provide USSOCOM and the Joint Force with a strategic advantage in the future.

SAWS is co-hosted by Air Force Special Operations and Global SOF Foundation and promises to expand on the previous two events. Click here to register for this unique opportunity to engage with and learn from the aviation-focused Special Operations Community.

– Courtesy of AFSOC Public Affairs

DISCLAIMER: Co-sponsorship of this event does not imply endorsement of GSOF, its services, or its products by the United States Government, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command.

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Exercise Reaper Castillo Pathfinds MQ-9 Capabilities in Austere Environments

Monday, January 13th, 2025

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. —

An MQ-9 Reaper circles above the Melrose Air Force Range in New Mexico, surveying the area below as it prepares to land on a dirt strip. On the ground the 1st Special Operations Mission Sustainment Team (SOMST) secures the landing zone, ready to refuel and rearm the aircraft.

More than 1,100 miles away, at Hurlburt Field, Florida, an MQ-9 pilot and sensor operator control the remotely piloted aircraft from a ground control station.

The 65th Special Operations Squadron hosted Exercise Reaper Castillo Nov. 4 to Dec. 18, 2024 to sharpen mission-essential tasks and develop MQ-9 Agile Combat Employment (ACE) capabilities. The goal: create a lighter, leaner and more agile force.

The exercise validated the MQ-9’s ability to conduct key operations in austere environments, including dirt-strip landings, refueling, rearming and rapid relaunch.

“In the future fight, we assess we will no longer be able to rely exclusively on the main operating bases that have persisted,” said the 1st SOMST flight commander. “Operating in austere environments anytime, anyplace and anywhere is critical. It enables commanders to have options – something critically needed in special operations forces.”

Typically, the MQ-9 requires a paved runway with a group of maintainers and extensive support functions. However, during the exercise a light SOMST footprint on an austere dirt airfield provided all necessary functions to support mission execution.

“If special operations MSTs can enable mission generation at the forward edge of the battlefield, it can increase the lethality, range, and overall capability of the aircraft for strategic and tactical national interests,” the flight commander said.

The MQ-9 Reaper is a versatile and precise intelligence, surveillance and strike platform and its adaptability and range of capabilities make it an asset for modern military operations.

These capabilities align with ACE, a strategy focused on enhancing flexibility and resilience by dispersing forces across multiple, often austere, locations. With its ability to operate in remote environments and adapt to rapidly changing mission requirements, the MQ-9 plays a role in supporting ACE’s emphasis on decentralized operations and rapid deployment.

“The MQ-9 is extremely relevant in today’s fight and will be in the future as well,” said a 65th SOS MQ-9 evaluator pilot and exercise mission commander. “It allows us to go places and do things that we cannot risk sending manned aircraft – such as high-threat environments.”

The exercise builds on the hard work of the 65th SOS’s sister squadrons over the past few years and will provide important data and lessons learned for the next squadron to push the concepts even further, said Lt. Col. Kurtis Paul, 65th SOS commander.

“On its surface, Reaper Castillo 24 is an exercise created and executed by the 65th SOS. But in reality, it’s another step in Air Force Special Operations Command’s efforts to push MQ-9 operations beyond conventional means,” Paul added. “It brought together many members from multiple AFSOC wings and it’s humbling to have the Lucky Dicers’ stamp on this iteration – this was truly a win for all of AFSOC remotely piloted aircraft and where we’re headed in the future.”

As the future of Air Force operations adapt to emerging technologies and evolving threats, the forward-thinking approach of these teams is crucial to unlocking the full potential of the MQ-9.

“We have to break out of the mindset that we need a huge, paved runway with co-located launch and recovery aircrews,” the mission commander added. “If we can free ourselves from the traditional mindset, it makes MQ-9 combat reach nearly limitless.”

By Senior Airman Deanna Muir, 1st Special Operations Wing

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