On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, the French company Thales announced that it had reached an agreement with the NATO Helicopter Management Agency NAHEMA to equip pilots of 31 Spanish NHI NH90 multirole helicopters with TopOwl DD (Digital Display) helmet-mounted sighting systems.
Photo: Thales
The agreement, concluded in cooperation with NHIndustries (NHI) and Safran, highlights a shared commitment to advancing innovation in the defense sector in support of France’s Direction générale de l’Armement (DGA) under the Ministry for the Armed Forces and Veterans, as well as Spain’s Dirección General de Armamento y Material (DGAM) within the Ministry of Defence.
The TopOwl DD helmet-mounted sight is an evolutionary version of the combat-proven TopOwl system. It now enables pilots to operate in all degraded-visibility conditions. Developed by Thales, the TopOwl DD suite integrates high-resolution video from electro-optical sensor turrets, including Safran’s Eurofl’Eye, with augmented reality and spatial alerts, enhancing situational awareness and reducing pilot workload.
TopOwl DD offers unparalleled piloting capabilities in degraded visual environments, ensuring safety and mission success through augmented reality. This is achieved by synthesizing terrain imagery with data from mission and flight sensors, as well as cameras and image intensifiers, which will also be upgraded under this contract. The system supports pilots day and night in challenging conditions such as dust clouds, fog, snow, or extremely dark nights. With the TopOwl DD helmet, NH90 pilots will gain improved situational awareness and visibility, significantly enhancing mission safety—particularly during very low-level operations or in poor visibility.
Thales brings more than 20 years of experience in designing helmet-mounted sights and displays for helicopters. The TopOwl DD system is developed and manufactured at Thales’ facility in Bordeaux in cooperation with stakeholders from the defense industrial and technological base (BITD) and refined in close collaboration with the armed forces, ensuring excellent visibility and safety. It is tailored to each pilot’s unique physiology, providing an optimal fit and reducing fatigue during long missions or demanding conditions.
This agreement constitutes a strategic partnership, underscoring close cooperation between Thales, the Direction générale de l’Armement (DGA), and NAHEMA, aimed at delivering advanced technologies to the armed forces that are tailored to the complex requirements of modern missions.
“By choosing the TopOwl DD, NAHEMA confirms the leading role of this helmet, recognized by helicopter crews for enhancing operational performance and safety. This contract further strengthens the strategic partnership between Thales, DGA, NAHEMA and NH Industries, all committed to equipping the armed forces with cutting-edge technologies designed for the most challenging operational environments.” Florent Chauvancy, Vice President of Flight Avionics at Thales.
NAHEMA (@NATO) has contracted Thales to enhance the TopOwl DD helmet for Spain's helicopter NH90s improving situational awareness and reducing pilot workload for flying in degraded visibility! 🚁 Know more: https://t.co/MEEuuajElY @DGA @Defensagob @NHI_mfg and @Safran #DGAM… pic.twitter.com/qCNhpo3nhG
— Thales Group (@thalesgroup) January 14, 2026