{"id":640611,"date":"2024-10-04T20:22:38","date_gmt":"2024-10-04T17:22:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/ukraines-new-f-16-simulator-spotlights-a-paradigm-shift-led-by-xr\/"},"modified":"2024-10-04T20:22:38","modified_gmt":"2024-10-04T17:22:38","slug":"ukraines-new-f-16-simulator-spotlights-a-paradigm-shift-led-by-xr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/ukraines-new-f-16-simulator-spotlights-a-paradigm-shift-led-by-xr\/","title":{"rendered":"#Ukraine&#8217;s new F-16 simulator spotlights a \u2018paradigm shift&#8217; led by XR"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a35efe60fd4d\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a35efe60fd4d\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/ukraines-new-f-16-simulator-spotlights-a-paradigm-shift-led-by-xr\/#Flight_preparations\" >Flight preparations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/ukraines-new-f-16-simulator-spotlights-a-paradigm-shift-led-by-xr\/#XR_takes_off\" >XR takes off<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/ukraines-new-f-16-simulator-spotlights-a-paradigm-shift-led-by-xr\/#Flying_higher\" >Flying higher<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div id=\"article-main-content\">\n                            <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To the average eye, extended reality is starting to look bleak. The metaverse has bombed, the <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">App<\/a>le Vision Pro has flopped, and Sony has all but abandoned the PSVR. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>Sadly for Mark Zuckerberg, consumers rarely want to strap computers to their faces. But there is one place where business is booming: the military.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">XR has diffused across the armed forces since 2021, when Microsoft signed a contract with the US Army worth <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">up to $21.9bn<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (\u20ac19.6bn). Under the deal, the tech giant would develop training programmes for HoloLens-based headsets. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite a shaky start \u2014 literally, for the <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2022-10-13\/microsoft-s-us-army-version-of-hololens-goggles-gave-soldiers-nausea-headaches\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nauseated soldiers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 the partnership continues to this day. But it might not last much longer: around <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xrtoday.com\/mixed-reality\/microsoft-hololens-may-lose-its-largest-partner\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">80 firms<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are now vying for the contract.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"inarticle-wrapper latest channel-cta hs-embed-tnw\">\n<div id=\"hs-embed-tnw\" class=\"channel-cta-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"channel-cta-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/tnw.events\/hardfork-2018\/uploads\/visuals\/tnw-newsletter.png\"\/><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/tnw.events\/hardfork-2018\/uploads\/visuals\/tnw-newsletter.png\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"channel-cta-input\">\n<p class=\"channel-cta-title\">The <\/p>\n<p class=\"channel-cta-tagline\">The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol&#8217; founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It&#8217;s free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the market has expanded, new use cases have emerged. You can now find XR in endless military applications, from combat rehearsals and battlefield tactics to vehicle training and helmet systems. But that\u2019s just on the ground. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arguably the fastest-growing military application for XR is pilot training. In this segment, there\u2019s an undisputed European champion: Varjo.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From its headquarters in Finland, Varjo (pronounced \u201cvar-yo\u201d) is building a thriving business in synthetic flight training. The company\u2019s CEO, Timo Toikkanen, says a \u201cparadigm shift\u201d has begun.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The trigger was evolving needs for aircraft simulators. Advances in XR have paved a path towards compelling new systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One was recently delivered to Ukraine. It will support the country\u2019s latest aerial weapons: F-16 fighter jets.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Flight_preparations\"><\/span>Flight preparations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After years of lobbying western allies, Ukraine finally received its first F-16 fighter jets in August. The shipment marked a milestone for the country\u2019s air forces, which have hitherto relied on Soviet-era jets.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">F-16s add a powerful upgrade to the fleet. But there\u2019s a problem with the order: Ukraine doesn\u2019t have enough pilots who can fly the planes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Traditional solutions to this problem come with their own issues. Aircraft training is extremely expensive, seats are limited, and the courses often require long-distance <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">travel<\/a>. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The conventional alternative is dome simulators, but these are also costly to develop. They\u2019re also vast machines that require their own dedicated buildings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">XR can hurdle these barriers. The simulators are cheaper than domes and can operate in offices. They could also integrate systems from across the armed forces. But their biggest strength today is their speed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe training time of a fighter pilot is compressed by 30 to 50%,\u201d Toikkanen says. \u201cWhen every year costs millions, that\u2019s a very significant change.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ukraine has an urgent need for fast and affordable training. F-16s could intercept enemy jets and establish areas of air superiority \u2014 but only with enough pilots to fly them. To train them, the country recently acquired its first fully-functional XR F-16 system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Dogfight Boss cockpit, Mission Combat Simulator, Varjo Mixed reality and Motion System 6DOF platform\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" srcdoc=\"&lt;style&gt;*{padding:0;margin:0;overflow:hidden}html,body{background:#000;height:100%}img{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;transition:opacity .1s cubic-bezier(0.4,0,1,1)}a:hover img+img{opacity:1!important}&lt;\/style&gt;&lt;a href=\" https:=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/2DKINhJEJGw\/hqdefault.jpg\" style=\"top: 50%;left:50%;width:68px;height:48px;transform:translate3d(-50%,-50%,0)\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Czech firm Dogfight Boss built the simulator, while Varjo supplied the XR tech.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After entering the cockpit, pilots can learn the controls, fine-tune their strategies, and fly virtual missions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The simulator brings a welcome boost to Ukraine\u2019s air forces. But for Varjo, the country is a tiny addition to a ballooning global market.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe F-16 in Ukraine is one example of a much broader phenomena,\u201d Toikkanen said. \u201cAnd the phenomena is traditional means of training pilots being replaced by mixed reality <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"XR_takes_off\"><\/span>XR takes off<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of Varjo\u2019s closest partners is Aechelon Technology. The American company creates geo-specific visualisations of the real world, which have been integrated with Varjo\u2019s XR system. Together, the companies have crafted headsets for the US Air Force.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe are one of the big players in the US. But Varjo is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> player,\u201d Javier Castellar, the co-founder of Aechelon, tells TNW.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Castellar estimates that Varjo has captured at least 95% of the XR flight training market. He calls the firm \u201cthe Tesla of Finland.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This reputation in military aviation has blossomed rapidly. A few years ago, XR wasn\u2019t technically capable of replacing air force simulators. Fast forward to today, and Varjo is in over 80 military synthetic training programs across NATO\u2019s footprint. Orders for XR, Castellar says, now outstrip those for domes by at least eight to one.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The reason for this turnaround is a big leap in tech.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1410840 js-lazy\" alt=\"Javier Castellar, the co-founder of Aechelon Technologies, holding a Varjo XR headset\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/10\/JavierXR4-Web-100.jpg\"\/><figcaption>Javier Castellar, the co-founder of Aechelon Technologies, holding a Varjo XR headset. Credit: Varjo<\/figcaption><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1410840\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/10\/JavierXR4-Web-100.jpg\" alt=\"Javier Castellar, the co-founder of Aechelon Technologies, holding a Varjo XR headset\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Varjo\u2019s breakthrough headset was the XR-4 <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">series<\/a>. Released <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">last year<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the devices blend a 360-degree view of the synthetic environment with the cockpit interior. Castellar says the system \u201ccrossed a threshold of human vision.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inside the headset, <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20171201031817\/http:\/\/sensics.com\/understanding-foveated-rendering\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">foveated rendering<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tracks the pilot\u2019s eyes and maximises the resolution where they\u2019re looking. By using this technique, the XR-4 boosts the visual quality while cutting the computation needs. Dual 4K x 4K displays can then deliver photorealistic scenes at 90 frames per second.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To integrate the pilot\u2019s surroundings, two 40-megapixel cameras align the visual focus with the pilot\u2019s gaze. When their eyes shift from the digital surroundings to the physical cockpit, the pass-through system shifts the view from the virtual to the real. TNW got to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">test the tech<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> last year and found the transition seamless.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the uptake grows, new capabilities are emerging. \u201cIt\u2019s not just a display system,\u201d says Castellar. \u201cIt has major implications on defence.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Flying_higher\"><\/span>Flying higher<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Modern aircraft are expensive to update. In domes, the costs are cut, but the changes still don\u2019t come cheap. They can also involve laborious implementations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">XR promises a simpler solution. \u201dThe architecture can be continuously adapted, because it becomes more of a software problem,\u201d says Castellar.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The enhancements are potentially endless. On an F-16 simulator, you could add night vision goggles, new weapon systems, or the latest aircraft helmet. All these components can then enter mission rehearsals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But that\u2019s only for aircraft. Varjo expects XR to spread across armed forces and into complex military operations. The headsets will connect planes in the sky with ships at sea, and vehicles on the ground. Numerous simulators will join the same scenario. Every element will network into one environment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou can\u2019t practise that in real life,\u201d Toikkanen says. \u201cThe only practice is to simulate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1410841 js-lazy\" alt=\"A Ukrainian soldier in the new F-16 XR simulator. \" width=\"1280\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/10\/Varjo_DogFight-Boss.jpg\"\/><figcaption>A Ukrainian soldier in the new F-16 simulator. Credit: DogFight Boss<\/figcaption><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1410841\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/10\/Varjo_DogFight-Boss.jpg\" alt=\"A Ukrainian soldier in the new F-16 XR simulator. \" width=\"1280\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The software also offers advanced data analytics. You can measure a pilot\u2019s cognitive stress, reaction speeds, or gaze direction. Training programs can be tailored to their needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The insights could even shape real military equipment. \u201cYou can make pilots fly aircraft that don\u2019t exist yet,\u201d Castellar says. \u201cYou can experience the effects of the performance on the battlefield and make design decisions based on that.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This affordable adaptability creates a recurrent business model. In the future, Castellar envisions a service that resembles smartphone upgrade programmes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI think it\u2019s going to bring profits in a sustained way, which is unusual in this industry,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s normally a one-off purchase.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As evidence of the benefits increases, Castellar\u00a0expects the uptake to snowball. The defence market is typically slow-moving. But when new tech gains traction, order numbers often proliferate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They can also lead to new applications. Endless military machines could follow the XR flightpath.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThese are no longer just training aids that are nice to have,\u201d Castellar says. \u201cThey\u2019re becoming absolutely fundamental for the defence posture of every country. <\/span>\n                        <\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/ukraine-f16-simulator-spotlights-european-xr-paradigm-shift\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To the average eye, extended reality is starting to look bleak. The metaverse has bombed, the Apple Vision Pro has flopped, and Sony has all but abandoned the PSVR. Sadly for Mark Zuckerberg, consumers rarely want to strap computers to their faces. But there is one place where business is booming: the military. XR has&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":640612,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/img-cdn.tnwcdn.com\/image\/tnw-blurple?filter_last=1&fit=1280%2C640&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn0.tnwcdn.com%2Fwp-content%2Fblogs.dir%2F1%2Ffiles%2F2024%2F10%2FUntitled-design-1-1.jpg&signature=ba47947778cb379616ca6abea40d0c45","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-640611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/640611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=640611"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/640611\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/640612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=640611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=640611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=640611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}