SOFREP Pic of the Day: A Japanese F-35 Pilot and His $400,000 Custom Helmet

Meanwhile, At Eglin Air Force Base…

In the background, sewing machines hum and scanners buzz, causing a palpable sense of celebration to fill the air at the pilot fit facility as a Japanese Air Self-Defense Force pilot stepped forward to be outfitted with his essential gear. Captain Ryosuke Sugimoto donned his newly tailored helmet to represent his nation and the collaborative spirit of the F-35 program.

The occasion was marked by leadership from the 33rd Fighter Wing, Joint Program Office, and Lockheed Martin Corporation, who gathered to celebrate a significant milestone: the 1,000th F-35 pilot receiving his flight helmet and survival gear on May 22.

“We fit pilots nearly every day, and I’ve been in this seat for over ten years, so this milestone has been eagerly awaited,” said Malcolm Kennedy, Lockheed Martin PFF lead.

“For the entire team, it’s a major milestone. For the wing and the foreign military sales customer, it shows the teamwork – we’ve all grouped together and made it happen.”

Meticulous Tailoring

Ensuring each pilot is perfectly equipped involves meticulous steps akin to tailoring a custom suit. The PFF Collins Aerospace fitters conduct face and head measurements for the mask and helmet, known as the ‘above-the-neck’ fitting. They scan the pilot’s head, input the measurements into their database, and request the necessary sizes. The gear is then prepared for day two of the fitting, which includes an optical alignment to ensure the helmet’s HMDS is correctly set up.

“For below-the-neck pilot flight equipment, Survitec takes 15 measurements,” said Thomas Swaim, LMCO senior field engineer. “With those measurements, we predict the size and then have the pilot try on the gear. We check them sitting down with their G-suit to make sure it fits correctly. The jacket’s sleeves must be the correct length and comfortable. Once validated, we order the gear through the Survitec system, Agile, which is sent to a center in Ohio to be fulfilled, taking about ten days for completion.”

The PFF, established in 2010, was the first facility to outfit F-35 pilots training at Eglin, among four others in the country. Pioneering these operations, the program faced various challenges en route to this milestone.

“We need to get the pilots in and out, but we also don’t want to rush the process,” said Kennedy.

“Sometimes, we have gone overtime for the fitting sessions due to language barriers with other nations or the optical alignment, which can tax the pilot’s eyes during the above-the-neck measurements.”

Every Pilot Gets A Personalized Fit

Despite these hurdles, the personalized approach to fitting each pilot remains integral to the team’s process.

“Numerous pilots have said they’ve never experienced the one-on-one treatment,” said Kennedy. “These fitters focus on one pilot at a time, dedicating two hours on the first day and four hours on the second to ensure everything below the neck is fitted correctly and comfortably, and the helmet is aligned properly.”

Reflecting on his personalized fitting, Sugimoto acknowledged the milestone’s significance.

“First, I would like to congratulate the team on this accomplishment,” said Sugimoto. “I am lucky to be the 1,000th person and experience being fitted for the pilot flight equipment on a conventional aircraft. I can’t wait for the completion of my first flight.”

As a token of recognition, Sugimoto was presented with a JPO coin, commemorating his achievement and the collective efforts driving the F-35 program forward.

The program has celebrated numerous firsts and achievements over the years, including fitting the first female F-35 pilot, Lt. Col. Christine Mau, the first U.S. Navy female F-35 pilot and Top Gun instructor, Lt. Cmdr. Mary Ruttum, and the first U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps squadrons, highlighting a legacy of excellence.

A Proud Milestone

“Reaching 1,000 fittings here highlights both the continued growth of the F-35 program around the world and the central role that Eglin AFB and the 33rd FW have played in that growth,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Jordan Grant, 33rd Fighter Wing deputy commander. “Pilots from around the world travel here to Northwest Florida to be fitted for their training and operations in the F-35. Each time we fit out an F-35 pilot, we are adding to the strength and security of the United States and our long list of partners and allies. Team Eglin and the surrounding community should be very proud of that!”

This milestone is poised to be the first of many as the facility continues to play a crucial role in the future of military aviation through innovation.

“At one point, the helmet was just a platform for oxygen and communication, then we added night vision goggles,” said Swaim. “With this helmet system, it is now an aircraft system. Our job is to integrate the human into that system. The F-35 is upgradeable, so for any systems they put on the F-35, we’ll be upgrading our helmet too – whether it be software, hardware, etc.”

In his one-of-a-kind flight gear, Captain Sugimoto symbolized the program’s success and the PFF’s ambition toward the elusive goal of perfection.