The NATO Helicopter Management Agency (NAHEMA) has awarded Thales a contract to develop advanced functions and capabilities for the TopOwl digital display (DD) helmet for helicopter pilots following an order for 31 NH90 helicopters by the Spanish Ministry of Defence, Thales announced on 14 January 2026.
The contract, secured in collaboration with NHIndustries (NHI) and Safran, “underscores a shared commitment to advancing defence innovation in support of the French Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) and the Spanish Dirección General de Armements y Material (DGAM)”, Thales stated.
The TopOwl DD helmet is an evolution of the combat-proven legacy TopOwl helmet legacy that enables pilots to operate in all conditions of degraded visibility. The TopOwl DD helmet, developed by Thales, integrates high-definition mission camera video feeds, including Safran’s Eurofl’Eye, with augmented reality and spatial alerts to enhance situational awareness and reduce pilot workload.
“The TopOwl offers unmatched capabilities for piloting in low-visibility conditions, ensuring safety and mission success through augmented reality,” Thales stated. “This is achieved by synthesising terrain vision with data from mission and flight sensors and cameras as well as light intensifier tubes that will also be improved by as part of this contract. It supports pilots day and night in degraded situations such as dust clouds, fog, snow or extremely dark nights. With the TopOwl DD helmet, NH90 pilots have a better situational awareness and visibility, significantly improving mission safety, especially during very low-altitude or low visibility operations.”
“By choosing the TopOwl DD, NAHEMA confirms the leading role of this helmet, recognised by helicopter crews for enhancing operational performance and safety,” Florent Chauvancy, vice president of flight avionics at Thales, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “This contract further strengthens the strategic partnership between Thales, DGA, NAHEMA and NHIndustries, all committed to equipping the armed forces with cutting-edge technologies designed for the most challenging operational environments.”
The TopOwl DD helmet is developed and manufactured at the Thales Campus in Bordeaux.
