A high-tech battle helmet with Fort Worth connections is slated for pilot tests in 2027, according to the companies building it. The Zero‑G Helmet Mounted Display System+ is billed by its makers as a sixth‑generation visor display that projects sensor and mission data directly onto a pilot’s visor, and it recently passed a critical design review. Developers say the lighter, more immersive design is meant to ease neck and back strain while giving crews a high‑definition view of the battlespace.
Collins Elbit Vision Systems, the joint venture between Collins Aerospace and Elbit Systems of America, said the helmet cleared that design milestone and will move into rigorous airworthiness testing and avionics integration ahead of a planned initial operational capability in 2027, according to RTX. The company says Zero‑G fuses mission data, sensor video and weapon information so it can serve as a primary flight instrument on Block III F/A‑18E/F Super Hornets and EA‑18G Growlers, and program managers see the system as both a safety and performance upgrade in high‑tempo missions.
“Zero‑G is providing sensor fusion at the edge,” Elbit America president Luke Savoie said, and Collins Aerospace’s Daniel Karl added that the team sought “the safest, most advanced system on the market,” in company statements, according to Elbit Systems of America. The joint venture describes the helmet’s wide‑field, low‑latency display and ergonomic, ultra‑lightweight architecture as the basis for faster decision‑making in the cockpit. The firms say the next phase will test integration with aircraft mission systems and validate airworthiness.
Local reporting put a much bigger price tag on the effort. Fort Worth Report ran a headline calling the battle‑helmet program a $16 billion effort, but public contracting records show a far smaller development award. In 2023 the Naval Air Warfare Center awarded Collins Elbit a $16 million contract for development, engineering and test support, per a company announcement and PR Newswire. That 2023 award covered engineering and early testing, and any larger procurement would depend on the results of flight and integration trials.
Fort Worth Connection
The local link is very real. Elbit Systems of America is headquartered in Fort Worth and is a member of the Collins Elbit board, which roots some engineering and sustainment work in the region, according to Elbit Systems of America. Fort Worth was officially designated the “Aviation and Defense Capital of Texas” by the state legislature in June 2025, according to LegiScan, and Lockheed Martin’s Air Force Plant 4 in Fort Worth remains the region’s fighter‑jet assembly hub, local infrastructure that could matter if the helmet program scales up, per the same resolution and Lockheed Martin reporting. Civic leaders say that concentration of OEMs and suppliers makes Fort Worth an obvious place to watch for follow‑on aerospace work.
What Comes Next
CEVS says the Zero‑G helmet is planned for eventual use on more than 750 U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force Super Hornets and Growlers, and the immediate priority is proving airworthiness through flight testing and avionics integration in 2027, according to RTX. Capt. Joseph Kamara, the Naval Aircrew Systems (PMA‑202) program manager, said the helmet “promises to relieve aircrew of neck and back strain and greatly improve ejection safety.” The outcome of those tests will determine whether the Navy moves to wider retrofit orders or limited fielding.
Bottom Line
The attempt to marry lightweight ergonomics with high‑definition sensor fusion is one reason defense planners and Fort Worth officials are watching the program closely. For now, the publicly documented contract history points to a modest development award and a 2027 testing timeline, and any headline numbers above that should be treated cautiously until the Navy releases procurement data. Procurement and follow‑on production decisions are expected to hinge on the results of next year’s flight and integration tests.
