The US Air Force has awarded a contract to Red 6, a Florida-based augmented reality (AR) solutions company, to provide its Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) for the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
The integration will allow F-16 pilots to train against intelligent, maneuvering virtual adversaries in real time during live flights. According to Red 6 CEO and former RAF pilot Daniel Robinson, the system will be installed on two F-16s within the next 12–18 months.
Beyond the Fighting Falcon, ATARS has already been integrated with the USAF’s MC-130, the UK RAF’s Hawk T-2, and the T-38 Talon trainer. Red 6 has also forged ATARS partnerships with Boeing (2022), Lockheed Martin (2023), and Korea Aerospace Industries (2023).
The system comprises a helmet-mounted optical display, onboard computer, and cabling designed for use across multiple aircraft, networks, and helmets. It features low latency, full-color, high-resolution synthetic entities, making both friendly and hostile virtual assets appear highly immersive.
ATARS also produces structured training datasets for evaluating pilot readiness. Its scalability and cost-effectiveness make it a key enabler of the USAF’s collaborative combat aircraft program, which will field “loyal wingman” drones alongside manned fighters.
