Augmented reality technology takes what was once simulated in a computer and puts it in the physical cockpit.
The United States Air Force will integrate a new software suite into its fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons over the next year and a half. While the software will not make the Vipers more combat-capable, it could help hone the pilots’ skills.
New F-16 Falcons Will Have “Augmented Reality” Displays
Earlier this month, the Air Combat Command and the Air Force Research Laboratory awarded a contract to Red 6, a Florida-based developer of augmented reality (AR) software, to outfit its ATARS (Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System) into the multirole fighter. ATARS will provide “real-time, in-flight synthetic air combat training directly into the cockpits of operational [aircraft],” allowing US Air Force pilots to engage with virtual adversaries.
This can further provide what the company described as “immersive, repeatable, and measurable training that blends the realism of live operations with the flexibility of simulation.”
It takes what was once simulated in a computer and puts it in the physical cockpit. As it is integrated with the pilot’s flight helmet and sensors, pilots will “see” and engage with VR targets as if they were real. According to Red 6, ATARS is also “built on a low-latency, network-agnostic architecture,” which “delivers high-resolution, full-color synthetic entities.”
ATARS has been in development for several years, developed with funding from the Air Force’s AFWERX tech incubator. The system has already been employed with the Air Force’s T-38 Talon and MC-130, as well as the United Kingdom’s Hawk T-2.
“This is more than a contract—it’s a validation of our vision and a signal that the future of air combat training has arrived,” said Daniel Robinson, co-founder and CEO of Red 6. “ATARS is the only system capable of replicating the cognitive complexity fighter pilots face in real-world engagements—and now we’re delivering it in the cockpit of a frontline tactical jet. The F-16 is just the beginning.”
Augmented Reality Tech Could Be Useful for the Air Force
Robinson, a former Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot and the first non-American to fly the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor as part of an exchange tour, understands the challenges that come with training. Simulators lack the real-world conditions that pilots experience, and combat training requires that another aircraft play the role of an adversary.
AR can blend the two, keeping pilots in their actual aircraft while engaging seemingly realistic adversaries. As the “enemy fighters” exist only as software, they could be virtually any advanced aircraft in service. US pilots will have the opportunity to fly against the Russian Sukhoi Su-57 (NATO reporting name “Felon”) or the Chinese Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon, for example. The software can be updated accordingly.
With its Collaborative Airborne Training Environment (CARBON), multiple aircraft can share the same AR battlespace in real-time, which the company describes as an “outdoor military metaverse.”
It will also support the Air Force’s next-generation Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), which are unmanned aerial systems (UAS) that could serve as the “loyal wingmen” for manned fighters. The company is also partnering with other aerospace firms, including Boeing, Aeralis, Palantir, SNC, and Northrop Grumman.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
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