F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Electro-Optical Distributed Aperture System Explained

The F-35 JSF is a bad-ass piece of machinery. Not in a Neanderthal-like Bruce Willis kind-of-way, but more in a precisely and scarily calculated way that'll change the way we do battle.

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter comes heavily equipped with new technology including a new Electo-Optical Distributed Aperture System (DAS) which performs multiple tasks including missile warning, missile launch location targeting and also detects and tracks approaching aircraft and missiles using a spherical sensor system powered by six highly-advanced infrared digital cameras located around the aircraft. The later system creates a 360-degree spherical panorama, in real time, that is then projected inside the knarly sci-fi pilot helmet which brings a whole new level of targeting, target visualization and situational awareness to the pilot.

According to the system's manufacturer, Northrop Grumman, the system is so advanced that maneuverability is now a moot point; "Instead of mutual kills, the F-35 simply exits the fight and lets its missiles do the turning." At this point in time, that concept seems a little far fetched, but considering the technology used for targeting bombing sites, it seems like a perfectly logical solution to completely rendering air battles obsolete. [via Northrop Grumman]