Members of the armed forces who fly helicopters in Afghanistan may soon be assisted thanks to new equipment. The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory has been working with partners to deal with the problem of so-called brownout, which can occur when crews land their helicopters in sandy or dusty environments Major John Peters of the Army Air Corps explains: “Brownout is a dangerous problem faced daily by UK helicopter crews in Afghanistan. “When you come in to land the amount of dust blown up can completely obscure all visual references.” The new system has used 3D equipment and other devices to create a helmet-mounted display that offers a virtual representation of the landing zone upon approach, meaning pilots can judge how far they are from their target. Last year, members of the Commando Helicopter Force received a new door gun prior to being deployed to Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence announced. Posted by Samantha Thompson