The Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO), a constituent laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has embarked on the development of a next-generation smart Head-Up Display (HUD) for India’s future fifth-generation fighter aircraft.

This marks CSIO’s entry into the advanced optical engineering field of waveguide technology—a domain currently being explored by leading nations such as Israel and the United Kingdom for cutting-edge military applications.

Waveguide technology enables electromagnetic waves, including light or radio waves, to be channelled efficiently through controlled paths with minimal energy loss.

This technology is crucial in applications like radars, augmented reality, optical imaging, and broadcasting systems. In the context of aviation, it holds the potential to significantly enhance the clarity and responsiveness of pilot display systems, a step change for future combat platforms.

According to CSIO scientists, the upcoming smart HUD will replace the conventional cathode ray tube-based setup with a compact digital display system. This advancement will make the new HUD approximately 30 per cent lighter and 50 per cent more energy-efficient than current models, while delivering superior image sharpness and precision.

The system will also employ transparent glass plates instead of traditional lenses, allowing for a slimmer physical profile and lower visual signature—an asset for stealth aircraft integration.

The smart HUD is intended for use in forthcoming advanced aircraft and is also being positioned as a future replacement for existing HUDs currently operational in platforms like the TEJAS, Sukhoi-30MKI, Jaguar and Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer. The existing HUDs developed by CSIO are produced commercially by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the Indian Air Force and Navy.

Ashish Gaurav, senior principal scientist at CSIO and a member of the development team, confirmed that a pre-prototype demonstration has already been presented to the Indian Air Force. The project is scheduled for completion within the next two years, with integration trials expected to begin thereafter.

The indigenous development underscores India’s growing optical and avionics self-reliance, aligning with broader defence modernisation goals.

With domestic waveguide technology research being jointly advanced by DRDO, CSIR laboratories, the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and private industry partners, the sector is poised for expansion. 

Current estimates place the Indian waveguide market at around 200 million USD, dominated by defence and aerospace demand, while the global market stands at roughly 1.5 billion USD.

Indigenously developed HUD systems are vital for enhancing pilot situational awareness. Installed directly above the cockpit’s instrument panel, they project essential flight data such as altitude, airspeed, angle of attack, and weapon status directly into the pilot’s line of sight.

This allows pilots to maintain situational focus during critical flight and combat manoeuvres, ensuring safer and more efficient operations.

Since its first indigenous HUD development in 1998, CSIO has continually refined its designs in collaboration with Indian defence production agencies. The move towards waveguide-based optical technologies represents not only a leap in technical sophistication but also a strategic step in strengthening India’s future-ready avionics infrastructure.

Agencies