The Arabian Military Industries group gains immersive training for national defence
Augmented reality (AR) training software developers Red 6 announced a major strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia-based Advanced Electronics on Thursday to supply Saudi pilots with enhanced extended reality (XR) training technology.
The partnership between Red 6 and Advanced Electronics, owned by the Saudi government’s Arabian Military Industries group, will prepare pilots for operating advanced BAE Hawk Mk 165 fighter jets.
According to Ziad Al Musallam, the CEO of Advanced Electronics, the partnership will “support and improve training to meet current and future threats.” The Saudi government also plans to roll out the trainer towards the end of the year or early 2023.
He added,
“Moreover, this partnership will enable and accelerate Saudi Arabia’s efforts in support of the Vision 2030 goal to localize 50 percent of the Kingdom’s defense spending by 2030”
Red 6’s product enables trainee pilots to experience realistic simulations that recreate situations such as refuelling tankers, flying alongside artificial intelligence (AI) powered aircraft, and engaging with ground-based targets.
The training platform also incorporates Epic Games’ powerful Unreal Engine, where trainees wear realistic flight helmets that displays AR visuals.
The CEO added,
“The basic offering covers fundamentals for air force pilot training, such as air-to-air refueling, dogfighting scenarios, one-to-one or two-versus-one, missile evasion, and practicing flying in formation with an AR wingman. The other [capability] is to have AI-driven bandits”
Successful Funding
The news comes after the United States Air Force (USAF) entered a strategic partnership with Red 6 in August last year, where the latter was awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III contract to dramatically boost its total valuation to $70 million.
The SBIR contract helps Red 6 to commercialise its products. Additionally, the simulation platform “dramatically” improves training quality for USAF pilots.
Last May, the USAF invested in immersive training solutions from King Crow Studios with an SBIR Phase III contract worth $6.5 million to create mixed reality (MR) training modules for B-52 aircraft.
Immersive Pilot Training
Immersive technology provides a safe space for pilots to hone their skills before taking to the skies. Acclaimed XR technology firm Varjo provides a highly-accurate immersive training environment for pilots or enthusiasts at home.
In January, the Royal Danish Airforce (RDAF) chose VR Pilot (virtual reality) to integrate immersive learning modules into RDAF training centres. Additionally, last June, the Swedish aerospace and defence firm Saab partnered with Varjo to provide training for Gripen E/F warfighters.
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