Safran Electronics & Defense has signed a significant contract with the NATO Helicopter Management Agency (NAHEMA) for the development of its Eurofl’Eye panoramic vision system. The contract, established in partnership with NHIndustries (NHI) and Thales, meets the operational requirements of the French and Spanish defense procurement agencies. It marks a key strategic advancement for pilot assistance technology in European military aviation.
The Eurofl’Eye system is an advanced Distributed Aperture System (DAS) designed to significantly enhance situational awareness for NH90 helicopter crews. By fusing imagery from six infrared cameras positioned around the airframe, it constructs a seamless, high-resolution panoramic view of the helicopter’s entire surroundings. This real-time image is projected directly onto the pilot’s helmet-mounted display, the Thales TopOwl, aligning intuitively with their field of vision.
A primary benefit of Eurofl’Eye is its ability to “see through” visual obscurants like darkness, fog, and dust clouds that traditionally hamper low-altitude and nap-of-the-earth flight operations. This capability provides crews with unprecedented spatial orientation and early threat detection, dramatically improving safety and precision during complex missions such as troop insertions, medical evacuations, and search-and-rescue in degraded conditions.
“Eurofl’Eye will simplify access to essential information by integrating it directly into the field of vision of NH90 pilots,” stated Alexandre Ziegler, Executive Vice President of the Defense Business Unit at Safran Electronics & Defense. “This system will improve pilots’ responsiveness and decision-making, especially in the most degraded external conditions. This program demonstrates the strength of European cooperation, bringing together leading industrial players to deliver advanced solutions.”
The development phase will leverage the combined expertise of Safran, Thales, and NHI, reinforcing cross-border innovation. The system is slated for initial deployment on the NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) fleets of France and Spain, with the potential to set a new standard for next-generation helicopter mission systems across Europe.
