Red Flag Referee (RedRef)

ABSTRACT: Red Flag is a multinational exercise featuring aerial combat flight operations. Due to the complexity and scope of these exercises, participants require a significant amount of spin-up in advance of their arrival. Specifically, there are a number of logistical and safety related that a pilot must learn and abide by. These rules govern ground operations, marshaling, rules of engagement, special instructions, airspace and noise restrictions. SoarTech brings a complete training solution based on several foundational technology components to that we have developed to address these issues. During Phase I, SoarTech developed and demonstrated a proof-of-concept prototype of a portable Red Flag practice environment - RedRef. RedRef is a multi-featured simulation environment with which Red Flag pilots can rehearse representative scenarios, perfecting their understanding of and adherence to Red Flag domestics so that they are proficient prior to the actual Red Flag exercise. Key components of this prototype included an integrated flight simulator, autonomous synthetic aircraft, interactive controller elements, and embedded knowledge for detecting conflicts. The RedRef prototype will be a distributable software package that can be easily be installed and used by international Red Flag participants, which includes a medium for loading newly authored scenarios by Red Flag personnel. BENEFIT: he prototype developed as a result of this effort is specifically targeted by the customer as a tool for multinational participants of Red Flag exercises. However, because of its embedded authoring tool, the RedRef system will also have the ability to support combat flight training exercises outside of the Red Flag realm. AFRL runs several exercises each year involving combat flight training research, such as the Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) research program, which could benefit from a pre-program trainer such as RedRef. Because of its portability, RedRef can easily be distributed to Air Force bases around the country for use as combat training practice environments that students can play on their personal laptop or desktop.