Red 6 has secured an additional contract to support the continued integration of the Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) into the US Air Force (USAF) T-38 Talon.
The contract has been awarded from Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI), an implementation of the USAF SBIR/STTR Supplemental Funding Pilot Program.
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Red 6-developed ATARS allows pilots to train in real aircraft against and interact with synthetically generated entities in the sky.
This solution enables users to undergo complex training, including air-to-air refuelling, formation flying and air combat manoeuvring.
Red 6 founder and CEO Daniel Robinson said: “Red 6 is ushering in a new era of training, and with the support of the USAF, we aim to deliver an extraordinary increase to readiness, proficiency, training capacity, and capability.”
The 2018 US National Defence Strategy recognised the need to establish the US ‘National Security Innovation Base’ involving dual-use technologies.
According to Red 6, the objectives entailed strong partnerships between USAF end-users, USAF acquisition professionals, and the private-sector portion of the National Security Innovation Base.
The TACFI pilot programme was designed to expedite the partnerships and bridge the competence gap between current SBIR/STTR efforts.
19th Air Force Commander Major General Craig Wills said: “Continued transformation of our pilot training system is vital to the Air Force’s future. We’re excited to see continued investment in this arena.”
Red 6 now intends to integrate into the T-45, followed by fourth-generation aircraft such as the F-16 and F-15E.
Last August, Red 6 won a $70m five-year contract from the USAF for an augmented reality system.
