Our work / Customized Insert for Air Force Fighter Pilot Helmets:
Reducing Neck Pain by Addressing Helmet Weight Balance
- Product Design and Development
- Prototyping
- 3D Printing
Written by Ralph Hill, Mechanical & electrical systems, 3D manufacturing
Prototyping Engineer
Updated August 30, 2026
Modern pilot helmets carry displays and devices at the front, which pushes the center of gravity forward and loads the neck — the root cause of chronic neck pain in fighter and helicopter aircrews.
Instead of adding an external support that transfers load to the shoulders, we developed a custom 3D-printed insert, scanned to the individual pilot's skull and carried inside a balaclava, that shifts the helmet's center of gravity back into line with the neck and spine. The printed part typically costs under $10.
Project at a glance
- Program
- Developed in response to a Department of Defense SBIR request
- Problem
- Forward-shifted helmet center of gravity causing chronic neck pain in fighter and helicopter pilots
- Solution
- Custom 3D-printed counterbalance insert integrated into a balaclava worn under the helmet
- Fit method
- 3D scan of the pilot's head, modeled to the exact skull geometry
- Unit cost
- Typically under $10 per printed insert
- Concept to implementable design
- One week
The client
The challenge
Our solution
Customized fit
3D printing
Balaclava integration
Simple implementation
Adaptable to future helmets
The result
Key skills and services used
Cross-functional expertise
Rapid prototyping
User-centered design
Why teams choose LA NPDT
Innovation and agility
Cost-effective solutions
Enhanced performance and well-being
Capabilities used on this project
Rapid prototyping services
3D printing, CNC machining, urethane casting and functional prototype builds with published materials, tolerances and lead times.
How we approached the helmet weight-balance problem
Developed in response to a Department of Defense SBIR request, and taken from concept to an implementable design in one week.
1. Diagnose the load path, not the symptom
The pain is not caused by helmet weight alone but by where that weight sits. Advanced helmet-mounted systems shift mass forward of the cervical spine, creating a constant moment the neck muscles must resist for the length of a sortie.
2. Study why prior solutions were rejected
Canada's DRDC neck support systems — the Bracing Collar Concept, Hooded Collar Vest and Helmet Attachment Concept — do provide support, but transfer load to the shoulders, torso or back and restrict head movement. For pilots who must keep full range of motion, that trade is unacceptable.
3. Rebalance instead of bracing
Our approach adds a small counter-mass behind the head rather than a structure around the body. Aligning the combined center of gravity with the neck and spine reduces the moment at source, with nothing bolted to the pilot.
4. Scan each pilot for fit
The pilot's head is 3D scanned and a model built to the exact shape of their skull, so the insert seats consistently and does not create pressure points against the helmet liner.
5. Print flexible, integrate into the balaclava
The insert is 3D printed in a flexible but supportive material and carried in a balaclava worn under the helmet. It stays in place, distributes weight across head and neck, and does not impede operational range of motion.
6. Keep it adaptable as helmets change
Because the part is printed from a scan, a new insert can be produced whenever helmet configurations change — which they will, as more devices are added to the front of the helmet.
| Approach | How it works | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Bracing collar / hooded vest | Transfers helmet load to shoulders and torso | Restricts head movement; rejected by aircrew |
| Helmet attachment support | Adds external structure to the helmet | Bulk and interference with cockpit and equipment |
| Custom 3D-printed counterbalance insert | Shifts center of gravity back to the spine | Requires a head scan per pilot; part cost typically under $10 |
Questions about this project
Straight answers from the engineers who ran the build. Have a different question? Ask us directly.
Talk to an engineerWhy not use an existing neck support system?
The established systems brace the head against the body. They reduce load but move it to the shoulders, torso or back and limit head movement, which pilots will not accept in the cockpit. Rebalancing the helmet leaves range of motion untouched.
Does every pilot need their own scan?
Yes, and that is the point. Skull geometry varies enough that a generic insert would create pressure points or sit in the wrong place. Scanning is quick, and printing to the scan is what keeps the part both comfortable and effective.
How can a printed part cost under $10?
It is a small flexible component, printed rather than tooled, so there is no mold to amortize and no minimum order. Customization is essentially free in additive manufacturing, which is exactly why the approach suits a per-pilot fit.
How fast can you turn around a defense concept like this?
This one went from concept to a practical, implementable design in a week. Speed comes from having engineering, scanning and printing in one facility, so each iteration is measured in hours rather than in vendor lead times.
Industries this project belongs to
See how we approach development in each of these categories, and the other products we have taken from sketch to production there.
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