Didn’t say it is impossible, just don’t know. Anyway,if there would be a source of inspiration, US is more plausible, if we consider the extent of KGB industrial espionage there, compared with SA, that hadn’t any relation (diplomatic) with the Soviet Uniuon
Now here in lies the rub, it was the CIA who found out about Gerhard and I suspect the SA system also “borrowed” technology from the USA. However, it was still easier to aquire this from SA for the Russians. They had a very senior officer spying for them and a naval base in neighbouring Mozambique!
Just a little “Google” found this:
“Canadian Defence Procurement – December 2003
The CF18 Incremental Modernization Program – In Detail
Allan Ng reviews DND’s CF18 fighter aircraft modernization plan (Part 7)
Follow-Ons to the ECP 583 – Joint Helmet-Mounted Cuing System (JHMCS)
If Looks Could Kill – a New JHMCS Helmet for the CF?
The Joint Helmet Mounted Cuing System – JHMCS – is a joint venture between Rockwell Collins and Israel’s Elbit Systems.[1] This JHMCS is intended for close-range air- to-air combat and is designed to take full advantage of the new, highly-manoeuverable, short range air-to-air missiles (AAM) now entering service with western air forces. The current CF short-range AAM (the infrared-guided AIM-9 Sidewinder) relies upon gaining an infrared ‘lock’ (albeit, with a back-up optical target detector) on an opponent. A tactical disadvantage of the close-range Sidewinders is the limited (30°) field-of- view of their infrared seeker-heads. JHMCS is meant to address this limitation.
The next-generation short-range AAMs have much wider fields-of-view but this new type of missile can also be ‘slaved’ to a helmet-mounted sighting system like JHMCS. Instead of a Sidewinder’s 30° cone fanning out from the missile’s nose for ‘lock- on’, the next-generation of AAM’s fields-of- view will be at least 90°s. By simply looking at a target, a pilot wearing the JHMCS will be able to direct these new short-range AAMs.
JHMCS is designed for 24 hour operation. A daylight visor (essentially a helmet-mounted heads-up display – top) is standard but, for nocturnal operations, an adaptor allows NVG (night-vision goggles – above, left) to be worn instead. Initial operational use of this system by the US is imminent. If CF Air Command acquires the JHMCS and a new short range AAM (as DND has planned) the upgraded CF18 will be well able to deal with more modern opponents in close air-to-air combat for years to come.
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[1] Israel was early into the field of helmet-sight slaved missiles with the Python. The first AAM to use helmet sighting was the 1975 V3 Kukri from South Africa. “
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