BLUF
An airborne augmented reality system might be one way that the US military can cut the cost of training.
Summary
The US Military is a technology leader where innovation is encouraged, resulting in technology growing at a rapid rate. For the US and Australia, military technology combined with innovation, is of vital importance. However, the US is suffering from a shortage of military pilots, and because of Covid-19, funding is a significant challenge. The cost of operating the F22 Raptor is about $40,000 per hour. However, one solution to rising costs is to use an innovative technology called Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS). Daniel Robinson's CEO of Red 6—the first non-American instructor pilot of the F22— has developed an augmented reality program that can work in high-speed environments. Military pilots can operate against a virtual threat while still flying a real aircraft. Worth considering whether an augmented reality program could result in serious cost saving across the ADF, while at the same time providing realistic training.