US Air Force uses mixed reality MetaVR software

MetaVR’s Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG) has beenintegrated into the U.S. Air Force T-1A Jayhawk twin-engine jet traineraircraft as part of an embedded training device to provide a simulated mixedreality Electro-Optical/Infra-Red (EO/IR) training capability to the aircraft.

The U.S. Air Force's Combat Systems Officer training stationat Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Florida, has purchased 49 MetaVR VRSGlicenses, which will be installed on 21 T-1A Jayhawk training aircraft at thebase.

VRSG forms part of the T-1A Combat System Officers TrainingSystem (CSOTS) embedded training device for the aircraft, which is used totrain students in the operation of EO/IR sensors. VRSG generates the visualsfor the system, resulting in a mixed reality training experience for traineesthat combines simulated and live environments.

In-flight EO/IR training is carried out using a genericsimulated sensor model similar to the MX-20. A total of 15 flight paths betweenNorth Carolina and Louisiana can be flown during training exercises, with correlatedviews rendered on MetaVR’s SE CONUS ++ terrain. The system is integrated with athird party computer-generated/semi-automated forces application so thatstudents ‘see’ targets inserted into the simulated view. These targets –buildings, ground vehicles or other aircraft – are models from MetaVR’s modellibraries.

“The training environment is truly mixed reality – studentslooking out the aircraft window see real-world locations that correlate withthe simulated sensor views of MetaVR’s geospecific 3D terrain rendered in VRSGsoftware,” Garth Smith, president of MetaVR said. “The major benefit here isthat the students obtain maximum training value by flying a real platform andbenefitting from having a sensor view that correlates to their actual geographiclocation.”

The sensor simulation approach helps reduce overall trainingcosts to the U.S. Air Force by providing an alternative to more expensiveactual EO/IR sensors. Two VRSG licenses are installed on each of the 21aircraft. One VRSG display is located in front with co-pilot, the other issituated behind where the student sits. In addition to the aircraft-basedtraining system, VRSG is used on a ground-based trainer to increase student’sfamiliarization, and to provide the ability to play back training missions in adebrief setting.

“VRSG is used to teach students various techniques andtheories related to the use of the EO/IR sensor equipment in a simulatedenvironment, with targets inserted into the simulated view – something thatwould be cost prohibitive to recreate in the real world,” Smith added.

All U.S. Air Force CSO Training is consolidated at NASPensacola under the 479th Flying Training Group Air Education and TrainingCommand unit. The T-1A CSOTS is the first course of a one-and-a-half year-longCSO training course. After the T-1A course, students go on to EW classroomtraining on the T25 Simulator for Electronic Combat Training, a classifiedsystem which also uses VRSG; followed by training on the T-6A Texan II traineraircraft.