DSEI 2023: Boeing and Red 6 partnership first to achieve successful AR integration on aircraft
Boeing is working on other in-house head-mounted display (HMD) training solutions for the T-7. (Photo: Boeing)
The partnership between Boeing and Red 6 has resulted in the successful flight testing of AR technology in a TA-4JA tactical aircraft, with plans to extend testing to the T-7 Red Hawk advanced trainer.
Boeing announced on 13 September that its collaboration with Red 6 to integrate the latter company's Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) on an aircraft has been successful.
The partners successfully integrated and flew augmented reality (AR) in a TA-4JA tactical aircraft as a precursor to testing it in a T-7 Red Hawk advanced trainer.
ATARS was designed to allow trainee pilots to see, identify and engage virtual threats and cooperate with virtual wingmen while airborne.
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The two companies announced an agreement last September that would see the incorporation of ATARS and an AR command and analytics data environment into the T-7 and F-15EX jets.
‘The successful series of ground tests and four flight sorties illustrate our collaborative ability to rapidly integrate, deliver and test new technology with the potential to change fighter pilot training for an entire generation,’ commented Donn Yates, executive director of Boeing air force fighters and trainers business development.
This development is the first of its kind since Red 6 began signing partnerships with defence giants a couple of years ago.
It was contracted by Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) in 2021 to integrate its ATARS system into the T-38 Talon. Lockheed Martin and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) are also looking to augment the TF-50 trainer and light attack fighter with ATARS. Last year, BAE Systems also inked a partnership with Red 6 to see how ATARS could be implemented into the Hawk.
Progress remains unknown on any of these programmes so far.
Concurrently, Boeing is working on other in-house head-mounted display (HMD) training solutions, including a live, virtual and constructive (LVC) VR training device for the T-7 aircraft.
Shephard was invited behind closed doors to try the advanced training system for the first time, in which instructors can engage with pilots during training sorties more easily than ever before.
Travis Willis, Boeing international business development for Red Hawk said while this VR solution is not included in the T-X contract the USAF awarded Boeing, he believes air forces will eventually adopt such technologies as they are looking to train pilots in the most effective way.
Shephard's DSEI 2023 coverage is sponsored by:
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