Boeing finished upgrading all of the Air Force F-22 Raptor Mission Training Centers, according to a news release. The new high-fidelity constant resolution visual system allows pilots to train in an environment that is more visually realistic than current simulators. The latest upgrades were done at Tyndall AFB, Fla., but Hickam AFB, Hawaii; Elmendorf AFB, Alaska; and Langley AFB, Va., also have the constant resolution visual system. The visual system is unique because “it provides the warfighter with constant target visibility throughout the entire field of vision,” said Scott Whitaker, Boeing’s display team manager, in a written release. It helps pilots get mission ready and gives them “an edge in the sky,” said Tim Noonan, Boeing’s vice president of training systems and government services. Boeing delivered the first 360-degree high-definition Raptor simulators to the Air Force in January.
The Air Force has embraced new technical approaches like open mission systems and rapid software updates for cutting-edge aircraft like the B-21 and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Increasingly, though, the service is also working to apply these to its older, “legacy” aircraft, officials said this week.