US Air Force revolutionizes F-16 fighter pilot training with world-first augmented reality system
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On August 15, 2025, Red 6 announced that the US Air Force (USAF) had awarded the company a contract to integrate its Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) into the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The company specified that the contract was granted through Air Combat Command and the Air Force Research Laboratory, marking a new step in the evolution of pilot training.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
ATARS was designed to support the development of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), enable effective training in restricted airspace, and produce structured datasets to objectively assess pilot readiness. (Picture source: US DoD)
Red 6 thus becomes the first company to provide a real-time augmented reality solution directly integrated into the cockpit of operational fighter aircraft. ATARS allows pilots to train against intelligent, maneuvering virtual adversaries while in flight, creating a realistic simulation of air combat conditions. According to the company, the system combines the immersion of live flight with the flexibility of digital training, enabling repeatable and measurable learning.
This development follows Red 6’s earlier work integrating ATARS into the T-38 Talon. The system is also in service on the USAF’s MC-130 and the Royal Air Force’s Hawk T-2. Daniel Robinson, co-founder and CEO of Red 6, emphasized that integration on the F-16 was a decisive step, noting that the program demonstrated the company’s vision and showed that the future of air combat training is being implemented.
ATARS is built on a low-latency, network-agnostic architecture capable of generating high-resolution, full-color synthetic entities without compromising flight safety or performance. It was designed to support the development of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), enable effective training in restricted airspace, and produce structured datasets to objectively assess pilot readiness.
The integration of this technology on the F-16 is consistent with the aircraft’s capabilities. The Fighting Falcon is a compact, multirole fighter, highly maneuverable, capable of speeds exceeding Mach 2 and sustaining maneuvers up to nine G. It has a combat radius of more than 800 kilometers for air-to-surface missions and a ferry range exceeding 3,200 kilometers with external fuel tanks. Its bubble canopy provides panoramic visibility, while the fly-by-wire control system and side stick controller allow precise handling, even under demanding maneuvers.
In terms of armament, the F-16 is equipped with an internal M61A1 Vulcan 20 mm cannon with 500 rounds and has multiple hardpoints that can carry AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, guided or conventional bombs, and external fuel tanks. Its radar and sensors enable detection of low-flying targets even in cluttered environments, while modular electronic countermeasure systems provide protection against both airborne and ground-based threats. These features, combined with the aircraft’s versatility, underline the relevance of integrating an augmented reality system designed to replicate complex operational environments.
Beyond the F-16, Red 6 maintains industrial partnerships with major aerospace and technology companies, including Boeing, Aeralis, Palantir, SNC, and Northrop Grumman. This reflects a growing interest from both air forces and industry in new training solutions suited to increasingly complex operational contexts.
The integration of ATARS on the F-16 therefore, represents a further stage in the modernization of fighter pilot training. By enabling engagements against dynamic virtual threats during live flight, the system provides more flexible, realistic, and secure training while supporting the development of emerging collaborative combat concepts.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
On August 15, 2025, Red 6 announced that the US Air Force (USAF) had awarded the company a contract to integrate its Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) into the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The company specified that the contract was granted through Air Combat Command and the Air Force Research Laboratory, marking a new step in the evolution of pilot training.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
ATARS was designed to support the development of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), enable effective training in restricted airspace, and produce structured datasets to objectively assess pilot readiness. (Picture source: US DoD)
Red 6 thus becomes the first company to provide a real-time augmented reality solution directly integrated into the cockpit of operational fighter aircraft. ATARS allows pilots to train against intelligent, maneuvering virtual adversaries while in flight, creating a realistic simulation of air combat conditions. According to the company, the system combines the immersion of live flight with the flexibility of digital training, enabling repeatable and measurable learning.
This development follows Red 6’s earlier work integrating ATARS into the T-38 Talon. The system is also in service on the USAF’s MC-130 and the Royal Air Force’s Hawk T-2. Daniel Robinson, co-founder and CEO of Red 6, emphasized that integration on the F-16 was a decisive step, noting that the program demonstrated the company’s vision and showed that the future of air combat training is being implemented.
ATARS is built on a low-latency, network-agnostic architecture capable of generating high-resolution, full-color synthetic entities without compromising flight safety or performance. It was designed to support the development of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), enable effective training in restricted airspace, and produce structured datasets to objectively assess pilot readiness.
The integration of this technology on the F-16 is consistent with the aircraft’s capabilities. The Fighting Falcon is a compact, multirole fighter, highly maneuverable, capable of speeds exceeding Mach 2 and sustaining maneuvers up to nine G. It has a combat radius of more than 800 kilometers for air-to-surface missions and a ferry range exceeding 3,200 kilometers with external fuel tanks. Its bubble canopy provides panoramic visibility, while the fly-by-wire control system and side stick controller allow precise handling, even under demanding maneuvers.
In terms of armament, the F-16 is equipped with an internal M61A1 Vulcan 20 mm cannon with 500 rounds and has multiple hardpoints that can carry AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, guided or conventional bombs, and external fuel tanks. Its radar and sensors enable detection of low-flying targets even in cluttered environments, while modular electronic countermeasure systems provide protection against both airborne and ground-based threats. These features, combined with the aircraft’s versatility, underline the relevance of integrating an augmented reality system designed to replicate complex operational environments.
Beyond the F-16, Red 6 maintains industrial partnerships with major aerospace and technology companies, including Boeing, Aeralis, Palantir, SNC, and Northrop Grumman. This reflects a growing interest from both air forces and industry in new training solutions suited to increasingly complex operational contexts.
The integration of ATARS on the F-16 therefore, represents a further stage in the modernization of fighter pilot training. By enabling engagements against dynamic virtual threats during live flight, the system provides more flexible, realistic, and secure training while supporting the development of emerging collaborative combat concepts.
