Gentex vice president Rafe Bennett outlined how combat helmets now serve as platforms that combine communications, hearing protection, helmet-mounted displays, power and data while staying light and stable. Mass and its placement on the head and neck drive fatigue plus long-term injury risk, especially when complete kits exceed six pounds during long missions. The firm trimmed weight in shells, pads and rails to field the FAST SF Second Generation helmet at two pounds in size large along with a next-generation fixed-wing model now reaching Navy aircrew.

Higher-cut shapes fit over-ear headsets and have spread from special operations into conventional units. Gentex is also adding blast-pressure sensors and expects digital night vision plus AI-assisted displays to arrive at scale within a decade.