Awarded through Air Combat Command and the Air Force Research Laboratory, the agreement makes Red 6 the first company to deliver real-time, in-flight synthetic air combat training directly into the cockpits of operational fighter jets.
“This is more than a contract — it’s a validation of our vision and a signal that the future of air combat training has arrived,” said Daniel Robinson, Co-founder and CEO of Red 6. “ATARS is the only system capable of replicating the cognitive complexity fighter pilots face in real-world engagements — and now we’re delivering it in the cockpit of a frontline tactical jet. The F-16 is just the beginning.”
The award builds on Red 6’s earlier integration of ATARS into the T-38 Talon and reflects the company’s expanding role within the US Air Force. ATARS allows pilots to train against intelligent, manoeuvring virtual adversaries during live flight, blending the realism of operational missions with the adaptability of simulation.
Designed on a low-latency, network-agnostic architecture, the system delivers high-resolution, full-colour synthetic entities without compromising safety or performance. It also underpins development of next-generation collaborative combat aircraft, supports training in restricted airspace, and produces structured datasets to objectively assess pilot readiness.
Alongside the F-16 and T-38, ATARS has been integrated into the MC-130 with the US Air Force and the Hawk T-2 with the UK Royal Air Force. Red 6 further holds active integration partnerships with Boeing, Aeralis, Palantir, SNC, and Northrop Grumman.
