Saab has a long history of developing head-up display (HUD) and optical systems, beginning with the Saab 37 Viggen fighter aircraft in the 1960s which had an early HUD system. Saab collaborated with Hughes Aircraft to develop holographic HUDs for fighter jets, resulting in the first wide-angle HUD using holographic optics in a Viggen test. Saab also developed virtual image displays to present targeting information to Viggen pilots. In later decades, Saab expanded its HUD and optical work to develop the HeliTOW helicopter reconnaissance system integrated with weapons, which saw over 150 systems sold internationally on various helicopter platforms from the 1980s onward.
Saab has a long history of developing head-up display (HUD) and optical systems, beginning with the Saab 37 Viggen fighter aircraft in the 1960s which had an early HUD system. Saab collaborated with Hughes Aircraft to develop holographic HUDs for fighter jets, resulting in the first wide-angle HUD using holographic optics in a Viggen test. Saab also developed virtual image displays to present targeting information to Viggen pilots. In later decades, Saab expanded its HUD and optical work to develop the HeliTOW helicopter reconnaissance system integrated with weapons, which saw over 150 systems sold internationally on various helicopter platforms from the 1980s onward.
Saab has a long history of developing head-up display (HUD) and optical systems, beginning with the Saab 37 Viggen fighter aircraft in the 1960s which had an early HUD system. Saab collaborated with Hughes Aircraft to develop holographic HUDs for fighter jets, resulting in the first wide-angle HUD using holographic optics in a Viggen test. Saab also developed virtual image displays to present targeting information to Viggen pilots. In later decades, Saab expanded its HUD and optical work to develop the HeliTOW helicopter reconnaissance system integrated with weapons, which saw over 150 systems sold internationally on various helicopter platforms from the 1980s onward.
Saab has a long history of developing head-up display (HUD) and optical systems, beginning with the Saab 37 Viggen fighter aircraft in the 1960s which had an early HUD system. Saab collaborated with Hughes Aircraft to develop holographic HUDs for fighter jets, resulting in the first wide-angle HUD using holographic optics in a Viggen test. Saab also developed virtual image displays to present targeting information to Viggen pilots. In later decades, Saab expanded its HUD and optical work to develop the HeliTOW helicopter reconnaissance system integrated with weapons, which saw over 150 systems sold internationally on various helicopter platforms from the 1980s onward.
Saab has a long tradition with Head-up-displays and optical products.
The initial breakthrough came during the development of the supersonic fighter aircraft Saab 37 Viggen in the early 1960s. The design of this fighter was unique and on the forefront of development of modern fighters at the time. It had double delta shaped wings and canard wings, an onboard computer for navigational purposes and a head-up display system.
Fighter HUDs Saab also cooperated with the American company Hughes Aircraft, The premier Viggen flight was made in 1967 and it was taken in opera- who had the capability to manufacture a hologram big enough to meet tional service by the Swedish air force in 1971, and then one of the the requirement in fighter aircraft. Saab (SRA) integrated the holographic most advanced fighter aircraft systems in the world. display in a presentation system, which was flight tested in a Viggen by the FMV (Swedish defense Materiel Administration). This became The head-up display was a huge step forward by making a fighter aircraft the first airborne wide angle head-up display system with holographic easier to fly, especially on extreme low level flights carried out by the difraktional optics. SwAF air-to-ground attack squadrons, when they trained to be a spear- head in the frontline of Swedens armed forces during the Cold War era. Sweden and Saab were thru pioneers in this field and the system was developed and fine-tuned. Since the 1990s this type of HUD has The development of the HUD continued during the 1970s, in coopera- been established and is in use in most of the modern fighter jets. tion the British company Smith Industries. This resulted in improved This technology is also used in Saabs combat proven Gripen fighter Field Of View, with better brightness and improved contrast making the system, and hundreds of units are installed in the Gripen fleet, which symbols more visible. is in operational frontline service in five countries. Virtual Image Display (VID) The Maverick air-to-ground missile was integrated in the Viggen system during the 1970`s. There was no space for the TV rangefinder on the instrument panel in the cockpit, which the pilot needed to lock on targets.
The solution to this problem was the Virtual
Image Display, which was installed to the right of the HUD. Another term used for VID is HLD Head Level Display. The VID contains of HUD related optics without reflecting glass and 90 degree prism, and the optics presents a virtual picture which gives the pilot the impression of a larger screen floating in the air at a comfortable distance. An important characteristic of VID is that a picture watched on distance is much easier to read in turbulent and shaky environment compared to an image featured in the instru- ment panel. This makes VID excellent also in ground combat vehicles. VID (Virtual Image Display) in AJ 37 Viggen
HeliTOW The systems where combat proven in several
In 1980, Saab in cooperation with DRS countries and theaters all over the world. (formerly Emerson Electric in the US) begun The HeliTOW systems where integrated on to develop a new generation of helicopter- many dierent helicopter platforms: borne reconnaissance systems, integrated with TOW missile etc., called HeliTOW. Eurocopter AS550 Fennec (Denmark and Singapore) The basic HeliTOW was primarily devel- oped for helicopter-borne reconnaissance Eurocopter Bo105, (Sweden and Nigeria) with high performance in the form of long AgustaWestland A109BA (Belgium) range target acquisition, i.e. detection and AgustaWestland A129 Mangusta (Italy) identication primarily of ground targets, as
Document id: Saab_Head-Up Displays and Optical Systems ver. 1 Sep 2014 well as guidance and control of TOW mis- Bell 406CS (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, siles and various other weapon systems as through a FMS deal) swiveling guns etc. More than 150 helicopters/systems where HeliTOW Sight Unit The high magnication of the direct-view delivered together with the respective heli- optics used in HeliTOW, combined with copter manufacturer (OEM). the inherent wide eld of view and high The total value of the Saab HeliTOW pro- performance IR, Laser and CCD sensors etc, grams where in excess of 300 Million Euros, ensured excellent situation awareness. Best and Saab still support the systems that in class sensor stabilization gave the system remain in operation. outstanding image quality.
The Saab HeliTOW system won a number of
high profile deals worldwide for the system during a number of years.
