Technology is being key in the war that confronts Ucrania y Russia since last February. During the last months, we have seen the two countries launching cyberattacks against the enemy’s infrastructure or the great importance that drones have acquired, both in terms of reconnaissance of the terrain and their use as weapons.
Beyond this, virtual reality is playing a key role in Ukrainian pilots being able to fly American fighters. A-10developed during the Cold War and ideal for launching attacks against Russian tanks. This is what the magazine ‘Time’ points out, a medium that has been able to observe how the soldiers of the invaded country are preparing.
Specifically, the training center has been developed by the Ukrainian officer Alexander Gorganwho is dedicated body and soul to training Ukrainian pilots so that they are prepared in case the US finally decides to send A-10 fighters to the country ruled by Zelensky. Something that, for the moment, is not at all clear, since the White House fears an escalation of the conflict in the West in case it increases its military support for Ukraine.
The facilities, in which the Ukrainian military learn to pilot thanks to the use of flight simulators and VR technology, have been operating since last May. There, the rare and tremendously valuable pilots use the tools at their disposal to learn to pilot with minimal expense. “They are more valuable than the generals,” Gorgan explained to the American media.
Thanks to Ukrainian teams, pilots use a VR headset to recreate the feeling of being on board an A-10 fighter. They also have a control similar to the authentic one that can be found in the cabins of these ships.
By employing these systems, the Ukrainian military can be better prepared should it eventually receive fighters to engage its enemy. Something that, at the moment, is not entirely clear if it will happen. Anyway, time is short. The country must have pilots prepared for what may happen in the coming months, since You don’t learn to fly a plane overnight..
Ukraine is not the only
The use of virtual reality and augmented reality (AR) in pilot training is gaining more and more importance, and not only in Ukraine. In the United States they know them well, and that is why there are already companies dedicated specifically to training pilots through the use of these emerging technologies. That is the case, for example, of Red 6, a startup capable of confronting the pilot with any challenge while in the air through the use of holograms generated by AR technology.
Specifically, this company prepares American pilots in flight through the use of AR helmets with which refueling or combat is rehearsed using holograms.
China is another country that would be resorting to the use of this type of tool to train its soldiers. For example, in the use of missile systems, as collected in 2021 by ‘Business Insider’. For its part, ‘Global Times’ points out that the country’s soldiers are training in VR rooms with viewers.