The RAF and Red 6 are to fly the ATARS augmented reality helmet on a Hawk T2 jet training by the end of October, officials said ahead of the Farnborough International Airshow. (BAE Systems)
The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) is to fly the Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) on a BAE Systems Hawk T2 advanced jet training aircraft by the end of October.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the Farnborough International Airshow running from 22 to 26 July, Group Captain Ryan Morris, assistant head planning, military flying training, said that the augmented reality helmet developed by US company Red 6 will be demonstrated on a Hawk jet in partnership with BAE Systems.
“We have signed the second part of a contract [with Red 6] today, for a concept demonstration to see if [the helmet] can be integrated in a Hawk and what training benefit that might bring,” Gp Capt Morris said at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) 2024 on 19 July. “This concept demonstration will involve flying 10-or-so sorties in Hawk in October,” he added.
As Gp Capt Morris noted, the demonstration will see one of the RAF's 28 Hawk T2s pulled from the flightline at RAF Valley to be fitted with the head tracker and other equipment before the demonstrations are flown out of the same location in North Wales.
“We have enough Hawks on the line right now [following recent engine issues that have caused problems with pilot training] so that [removing one for the concept demonstration] would have no impact,” he said.
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