A Next Generation Helmet System for Navy Pilots

February 6, 2026

By Woodrow Bellamy III

A Navy aircrewman wears the Next-Generation Fixed Wing Helmet (NGFWH). The U.S. Navy recently awarded a new contract to Gentex Corporation to deliver more than 5,000 NGFWH systems. (Image: U.S. Navy)

The U.S. Navy is giving its fixed-wing pilots a next generation helmet system that represents one of the most significant modernization efforts for Navy aircrew flight equipment in recent years.

Under a new $22 million five-year contract, Gentex Corporation will provide its "PURSUIT" helmet system to pilots for every in-service Navy fixed-wing aircraft, including E-2D, F/A-18, E/A-18G, T-45, T-6, and the in-development Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS), according to a recent press release. The contract includes delivery of more than 5,000 Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmets (NGFWH) and associated spares.

"This contract award from the US Navy is a significant milestone for Gentex and demonstrates our unwavering commitment to advancing the world’s most innovative protection solutions for warfighters," said Robert McCay, Vice President of Aircrew Systems at Gentex Corporation. "The PURSUIT system delivers meaningful advancements in aircrew safety, comfort, and mission performance, ensuring Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers are equipped with technology that keeps pace with the rapidly evolving demands of modern aviation."

Gentex's PURSUIT helmet system will replace the HGU-55/P and HGU-68P legacy helmets currently used by Navy fixed-wing pilots. Both helmets were also developed by Gentex and have been in use by Navy pilots for more than 30 years.

Gentex is delivering more than 5,000 of these helmets to Navy fixed-wing pilots over the next five years. (Image: Gentex Corporation)

According to Gentex, PURSUIT features both physical design and digital technological upgrades over the legacy HGU-55/P and HGU-68P. The NGFWH has four different helmet sizes and three module sizes that fit "over 99 percent of the anthropometric range," the company notes on its website. The new helmet system has a lightweight carbon shell and an optimized center of gravity, designed to reduce neck and spine strain during extended mission and high-G maneuvers. Gentex also notes that the helmet ensures 600 Knots Equivalent Air Speed (KEAS) protection.

PURSUIT is also fully compliant with U.S. Navy and Air Force performance standards, while adhering to Modular Open System Approach (MOSA) principles. The adherence to MOSA will enable easy integration of current and future HMDs, advanced communications systems, and optical and respiratory protection, according to Gentex. PURSUIT can be upgraded or enhanced with four HMDs: PURSUIT Slick, Thales Scorpion, Collins Elbit Vision Systems JHMCS, and Collins Elbit Vision Systems Zero-G HMDS+.

“The NGFWH is a leap forward in aircrew ergonomics. By utilizing a lighter, more balanced carbon-fiber shell, we are significantly reducing the long-term physical toll on our aviators,” said Capt. Joseph Kamara, Naval Aircrew Systems (PMA-202) Program Manager. “This isn't just a piece of safety gear; it’s a modular platform that allows us to rapidly integrate the next generation of digital cockpit technology without needing to field an entirely new helmet every few years.”