Announced during the Royal International Air Tattoo 2024, the RAF has conducted flights using revolutionary augmented reality (AR) display technology to identify whether it could be used to train future frontline fighter pilots.
United States Company Red 6 developed ATARS (Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality Systems) which enables pilots to identify, engage and defeat virtual adversaries programmed to act and react as a pilot would experience in hostile combat, and cooperate with synthetic support aircraft whilst airborne.
Partnering with BAE Systems, in-flight demonstrations evaluated the ATARS on a Hawk T2 aircraft at RAF Valley. Supported by Red 6 staff, pilots were immersed in scenarios to assess the viability of augmented reality technology. It is hoped that interoperable nature of this rapidly growing technology will be embraced by the RAF and augmented reality displays form part of its future flight training strategy.
If adopted the technology could be spirally developed so training can be constantly updated to ensure pilots can maintain the battle-winning edge.
Exploitation of novel technologies like this is an essential part of ensuring the RAF can sustain its combat edge and to be ready to fly, fight and win when called upon by our Country. This latest development is a very exciting proposition and a huge opportunity to improve training quality, increase throughput and lower essential overheads like aircraft, airspace and instructors. We are all looking forward to seeing how we can take this kind of technology into our plans.
Air Commodore Rob Caine
RAF’s Head of Flying Training
