Seven F-35’s from Hill Air Force Base in Utah just completed nearly two weeks of training missions in Idaho.
The plane, which is scheduled to replace the A-10 Warthog, has faced numerous issues in years past which military officials hope to solve soon.
The helmet itself is worth an estimated $400,000 and can allow for pilots to see “through” the cockpit.
"It's a huge asset for increasing my awareness of where ground targets are as well as threats," Major Luke Harris explained.
The helmet also allows for advanced night vision and the ability to display threats to the pilot’s field of vision.
"The ground is displayed on the helmet visor, so I can literally look through the bottom of the aircraft or through the wing of the aircraft," Maj. Harris said.
It sounds amazing, but it has created some problems.
Experts say the weight of the helmet alone could snap a pilot’s neck if he needs to eject in the air. Another major issue discovered by pilots and revealed in front of a congressional hearing earlier this year was software problems that can keep the plane from launching.
However, officials at this training told 6 On Your Side that they have not experienced any flight cancellations.
The timeline for the eventual replacement of the A-10 is still unknown, and 6 On Your Side will follow this story as it unfolds.
