How air forces are embracing augmented reality technology to maintain skillsets

Modern augmented reality (AR) technologies are delivering air forces around the world advantages when it comes to training their combat pilots, mechanics and other support staff. Air forces are reaping benefits in training speed and improving their graduation rates, both of which results in reduced costs for the clients of defence firms.

For example, the UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF) tested new AR display technology in late December 2024 on a demonstration flight of one of its Hawk T2 training jets at RAF Valley. The Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) is built by US defence technology firm Red 6 and projects synthetically generated visuals into the view of the pilots using the system.

Using these synthetic visuals to generate images of enemy aircraft or flying instructions reduced the need for the RAF to provide student pilots with instructors in their aircraft or wingmen to provide an opposing jet against whom to practice aerial combat, saving defence training funds.

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“Exploitation of novel technologies like this is an essential part of ensuring the RAF is able to sustain our combat edge and to be ready to fly, fight and win when called upon by our country,” Air Commodore Rob Caine, head of flying training for the RAF, said following the test.

“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,” he added. “We are all looking forward to seeing how we can take this kind of technology into our plans for the future.”

The RAF is by no means alone in adopting AR for pilot training. In August 2024, the US Office of Naval Research began training pilots on a mixed-reality simulator, the T-45C Goshawk.

AR in the maintenance space

AR devices are also appearing in air force personnel’s day jobs, such as at aircraft avionics maintenance institutions, where wearing AR goggles allows maintenance crews to work on machines with both hands free, while still receiving data and following instructions.

Senior air force officers in Western militaries are keen to introduce these revolutionary new technologies into the different branches of their organizations, citing their force-multiplying effects. In May, the head of the US Air Force's (USAF) Air Education and Training Command praised AR and virtual reality technologies for enabling USAF personnel to absorb new information more quickly, and adapt their actions in response to it.

Bigger defence firms collaborate with AR specialists

Big defence firms have not neglected the field of AR as it applies to changing air force requirements. Another AR training system that has been developed for military personnel training is the Boeing Deployable Training Studio (BDTS), which it developed in collaboration with its commercial partners Intrinsic and Plexsys. The BDTS is currently being used for training by the US Navy and Marine Corps, but like ATARS it has applicability with the USAF too.

Similar to ATARS, BDTS helps hone pilots’ aerial interception skills, training new combat pilots while letting qualified ones maintain their pre-existing skillset. That helps avoid substandard pilot performances that waste the training value of an entire, high-cost-per-flight-hour conventional multi-plane training event.

A Boeing spokesperson said: “BDTS provides [clients with a] compact, persistent, integrated multi-platform team training directly at the point of need where existing large footprint solutions are not available or practical.”

AR as an interoperability tool

The uptake of AR technology in air forces’ daily operations is likely to accelerate as personnel training using AR systems replaces staff more familiar with older systems and procedures.

For example, US and Australian air force units are already communicating virtually prior to training exercises to educate themselves on similarities and differences in equipment or structure prior to holding joint exercises.

Future efforts to familiarise the services of different nations with one another’s planes, maintenance equipment or other force structure will be able to use digitally-generated AR images to aid in the process of mutual understanding.

Using AR will allow such units to work together in future without the expense of moving as many planes, support gear or other items to foreign countries during military exercises.

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