MetaVR Visuals in F-16 Simulation

Between 2010 and 2011, MetaVR™ visuals came online for simulators at five F-16 training facilities: Luke Air Force Base, Vermont Air National Guard F-16 Mission Training Center, Aviano Air Base, Italy, and the Automatic Collision Avoidance Technology (ACAT) Fighter Risk Reduction Program (FRRP) program. 

Most recently, MetaVR sold 105 new Virtual Reality Scene Generator™ (VRSG™) licenses for use in another USAF F-16 simulation training program, for five F-16 full mission simulators.

F-16 network training center at Luke Air Force Base

Luke Air Force Base (AFB) in Glendale, AZ, purchased 53 MetaVR VRSG licenses in 2010 for use in their F-16 full-mission training simulators. MetaVR's software is fielded on Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS)-based PC image-generators (PC-IG) using the latest game level 3D graphics cards. These VRSG licenses replaced the Presagis Lyra-based solutions in four training dome systems for the U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command (AETC) which were installed at the site in 2007 and 2008.

	Real-time VRSG rendering of an F-16C entity approaching the airfield on MetaVR’s virtual Luke AFB.

Luke AFB is a major training base of the AETC for providing advanced flight training to fighter pilots. The upgraded F-16 flight cockpit simulators are located at the base's Network Training Center (NTC) facility. The MetaVR VRSG licenses equip 4 dome-based systems that contain a full cockpit replica of an actual F-16. For each F-16 cockpit trainer, the VRSG multichannel visual system includes 10 out-the-window (OTW) channels and 2 sensor channels.

	Real-time VRSG rendering of the airfield on MetaVR's virtual Luke AFB.

As part of the sale, MetaVR built and delivered high-fidelity geospecific 3D terrain of Luke AFB, to include the airfield and the Barry M. Goldwater Range (BMGR). The terrain, built from natural color imagery, is in MetaVR's round-earth Metadesic format from natural color imagery. Imagery of the area of Arizona around Luke AFB is 1-meter resolution, BMGR is 0.50 m and the Luke airfield with its immediate on-base surroundings is .30 m resolution.

VT Air National Guard F-16 Mission Training Center

The Vermont Air National Guard (ANG) uses over 90 MetaVR VRSG licenses in their four-ship simulators at the F-16 Mission Training Center (MTC) located at the VT Air National Guard (ANG) facilities at the Burlington International Airport, Burlington, VT.

In June 2010, the F-16 MTC officially opened with the mission to train F-16 fighter pilots from
across the U.S. in a first-of-its-kind graduate-level setting. Ten pilots can be trained at a time in exercises conducted on a local network or in Distributed Mission Operations (DMO)
collaboration with the Iowa Air National Guard's Distributed Training Operations Center (DTOC) in Des Moines, IA.

	One of the 4 cockpit simulators at the new F-16 MTC, located at the ANG base at the Burlington International Airport, Burlington, VT. The multi-channel synchronized view, driven by VRSG, is rendering the VT virtual terrain built by MetaVR. Photo courtesy of SSgt. Dan DiPietro, 158 FW, Vermont Air National Guard.

Inside the wraparound display sets a high-fidelity cockpit with functional buttons, switches, and multi-function displays (MFDs). The MFDs can display targeting pod video in electro-optic (EO), infrared (IR), or ground-mapping radar. An instructor/operator station (IOS) exists for each cockpit. The IOS establishes the environment the simulator will fly in, to include geographic location, weather, time-of-day. The IOS also controls the threat environment using the AFRL XCITE target generator. The IOS includes a large flat-screen TV that can simultaneously display a replica of out-the-window scene, heads-up display, and both multi-function displays.

MetaVR built and delivered to the Vermont Air National Guard 3D terrain of the ANG base facilities and airfield at the Burlington International Airport, Burlington, VT.

F-16 X-DTT simulators at Aviano AFB, Italy

In 2010, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Warfighter Readiness Research Division, updated their F-16 Experimental Deployable Tactics Trainer (X-DTT) simulators to use MetaVR visuals and Immersive Display Solutions portable domes. The updated F-16 X-DTT simulators were installed at the Aviano Air Base, Italy, in October 2010.

The F-16 X-DTTs are deployable, medium fidelity, in-theater training systems for keeping the warfighter proficient between missions. For this update, AFRL purchased 26 MetaVR VRSG licenses to replace its SDS International AAcuity PC-IG systems for the simulators. The MetaVR software runs on the existing image generator hardware with no changes required.

Each F-16 X-DTT has six projected views on the partial dome in addition to a sensor view. Each system can be used as a standalone training tool or networked with other simulators to participate in larger exercises. The systems are similar in design to MetaVR and
Immersive Display Solutions' 3-Meter Dome Immersive System, with differences specific to the F-16 X-DTT.

	Detail of the dome display of one of the F-16 X-DTT simulators at AFRL using MetaVR multi-channel visual systems. (Note that the seams that appear in this test installation of the dome will be eliminated in the final installation.) Image courtesy of Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), Mesa, AZ.

The goal of the X-DTT simulators is to provide pilots with the ability to practice and maintain air combat skills in forward operating locations. These simulators are intended for use by deployed pilots who generally perform missions in support of real world operations with limited or no sorties or flying range space available for training opportunities and who might incur deficiencies in critical mission skills needed for other theaters.

The medium-fidelity X-DTT simulator consists of an F-16 Block 30 aircraft shell with the actual F-16 Operational Flight Program (OFP) and high-fidelity aircraft stick and throttle. These simulators provide the essential F-16 cockpit switches on a touch-screen LCD in front of the pilot.

F-16 simulators used in ACAT/FRRP

In October 2011, ZedaSoft, Inc. delivered a dual-dome reconfigurable F-16 simulator system to Lockheed Martin Advanced Development Programs (ADP) group in support of ACAT/FRRP. The ACAT Fighter Risk Reduction Project program, with a team that includes U.S Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, develops collision avoidance technologies for fighter/attack aircraft that would reduce the risk of ground and mid-air collisions. This phase will test automatic collision avoidance technologies between USAF fighter aircraft.

Using MetaVR visuals, the dual-dome solution provides two F-16C Reconfigurable Cockpit Systems (RCS) in high resolution large field-of-view display and projection systems from Immersive Display Solutions, Inc. (IDSI).

The 3.4 meter diameter dome leverages existing joint development between MetaVR and IDSI, which uses the same technology as in the F-16 X-DTT partial dome simulators delivered to the Aviano Air Base in Italy, described above.

Image courtesy of ZedaSoft.

As part of the system MetaVR has provided a 3D terrain database comprised of satellite terrain imagery for the entire continental United States at 1-meter resolution with higher resolution insets for Nellis Air Force Base (AFB), Edwards AFB, and Fort Worth Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NASJRB) areas.

	MetaVR VRSG real-time simulation scenes of the virtual Nellis Air Force Base.