Flight simulator company Dogfight Boss and high-end XR headset maker Varjo have announced that they have sent the first mixed-reality F-16 simulators to the Ukrainian Air Force to accelerate pilot training. And more are likely to follow as the country looks to scale training to keep up with the inevitable influx of American-made fighter jets.
Last month, Ukraine began receiving its first F-16s from NATO members Denmark and the Netherlands, planned to replace its aging Soviet-era MiG and Sukhoi jets. Belgium and Norway have also signed deals to provide Ukraine with more than 60 fighter jets.
Late last year, a handful of Ukrainian pilots began training to fly F-16s in Arizona, but Ukrainian officials have expressed frustration at not being able to get enough training because of limited seats in F-16 training programs across the U.S. and Europe.
Now, Dogfight Boss and Varjo have partnered to deliver an F-16 C Viper simulator equipped with MRI goggles to an unspecified Ukrainian Fighter Pilot Base in Kiev. The simulator will allow pilots to fly virtual missions while seeing instrument panels fly by, providing a more realistic training experience.
While such a platform would not solve current training shortages, it would allow pilots to train and maintain their skills in the country, which has become an active war zone since the Russian invasion began in February 2022.
In a post on LinkedIn, Dogfight Boss said interest in the MR simulator has been promising so far, with an “urgent need for additional units to support cooperative training scenarios.” The company says this could lead to at least eight more simulators being sent to the Ukrainian military.
“After nearly a year of detailed fine-tuning and extensive testing with the assistance of EU F-16 pilot instructors, we are honored to deliver Ukraine’s first fully functional F-16 simulator,” said Lukas Homola, CEO and founder of Dogfight Boss. “This simulator is a testament to our commitment to precision and excellence, developed and manufactured in-house. Every component, from the structure to the electronics, including the complete instrument panels, throttle dial, pedals and force-sensing lever base, has been designed to meet the highest standards.”
Both Finland-based Varjo and Czech Republic-based Dogfight Boss have worked extensively with defense customers over the years, with Varjo’s XR headset currently in use by 60 organizations, including the U.S. Army’s Reconfigurable Virtual Mass Trainer (RVCT) program, which uses Varjo for portable training for Apache, Chinook and Blackhawk helicopters.