MetaVR Visuals Used in Northrop Grumman Aerial Refueling Operator Simulator

Northrop Grumman, the winning bidder for the US airforce tanker program, uses MetaVR visuals in its aerial refueling simulation. In support of its KC-45 Advanced Multi-role Tanker Transport (AMTT) proposal, Northrop Grumman built an Aerial Refueling Operator (ARO) simulator to use as an advanced-concept demonstrator. For this proposal, Northrop Grumman Corporation teamed with EADS to compete for the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation air refueling tanker, to replace the aging KC-135 Stratotanker.

Using the MetaVR Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG) as its 3D visualization system, the advanced-concept demonstrator traveled to the 2005 Airlift/Tanker Association (A/TA) in Nashville, Kentucky, and to the 2006 Air Force Association (AFA) Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida. The simulator is used to promote discussion and evaluation of future refueling concepts, and to provide an interactive refueling simulation experience.

Northrop Grumman's ARO simulation booth. The video screen in the center shows a real-time simulated refueling scenario in MetaVR VRSG. Click the image to view a high-resolution version. Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman Corporation.

Off-the-shelf functionality available in MetaVR’s VRSG software enabled the simulator part of the demonstrator to be constructed in a short amount of time. By using DirectX, a true 3D stereoscopic display was implemented without additional software development. The simulation flies over MetaVR’s Metadesic North America 3D terrain.

Northrop Grumman's ARO simulator, which uses MetaVR VRSG for visuals. Click the image to view a high-resolution version. Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman Corporation.

The software simulates both the AMTT’s flying boom operations and hose and drogue refueling operations, including features such as Air Refueling (AR) flight patterns, collision modeling, and refueling contact modeling. This version of the ARO simulator models fifteen boom receivers and ten drogue receivers.

	Real-time VRSG screen capture of a KC-45 aircraft refueling an F-15 over the Ontario, California, area of MetaVR's North America terrain. The MetaVR 3D aircraft entities contain the refueling port geometry. Click Zoom to see a high-resolution version.