During the RIAT air show, the UK MOD has awarded a contract that will see BAE Systems conduct an in-flight demonstration of the Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality Systems (ATARS) by RED 6 on a HAWK TMk2 aircraft later this year.

RED 6 is a US-based company but was actually founded and remains led by an ex-RAF fighter pilot, Dan Robinson, who in his career had the chance to fly F-22 RAPTORs on Exchange with the USAF as Instructor. The immense cost of carrying out dissimular combat air training with expensive frontline fighters inspired him to found RED 6 in 2018 and mature a way to exploit Augmented Reality to reduce training costs and improve output.

A modern, lightweight, full colour, helmet mounted display (HMD) injects 3D imagery of friendly and enemy aircraft, SAMs, missile trails and even explosions into the real world for the pilot to fly and fight against. The ability to visualize even tracer from cannon fire, missile smoke trails and explosions means offering the pilots a degree of realism as yet unseen while using only computer-generated images instead of aggressor jets obviously generates great financial savings. This will enable practicing of anything from formation flying to advanced air combat, using 3D aircraft generated realistically on the visor in front of the pilots’ eyes.

Both the Royal Air Force and the USAF have been following RED 6’s work for multiple years now. Back in 2019, RED 6 received funding from the USAF’s AFWERX tech incubator and in 2021 received a 5-year contract to bring AR into the USAF’s own T-38 advanced trainer jet.

The company has been air testing its HMD on Berkut 540 light aircraft, and for some time it has been working with the RAF to carry out 3D scanning and feasibility assessments on the HAWK TMk2 at RAF Valley. Funding is being provided through the National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF), a UK Government’s corporate venturing arm meant to support dual-use advanced technologies.The program is being managed by the UK Military Flying Training System (MFTS) Hawk Delivery Team at Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), the procurement arm of the UK Ministry of Defence.

The BAE HAWK T2, serving with XXV and IV Squadrons at RAF Valley, is the Royal Air Force's lead-in jet trainer and delivers advance training ahead of pilots being assigned to the relevant Operational Conversion Units for either TYPHOON or F-35. 28 such jets are in service.

RED 6 had, back in march, already signed an agreement with AERALIS, the british company working on the development of a new and highly modular jet trainer system, to have ATARS as part of the project already ahead of the first demonstrator aircraft being built.