Ramona Adams
Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force have integrated two virtual fifth-generation F-22 Raptor aircraft with four fourth-generation F-16 Fighting Falcons during a live, virtual and constructive training exercise.
The company said Monday its LVC Experimentation, Integration and Operations Suite system worked to provide networked simulators where virtual aircraft operated by aircrew members can participate in the same airspace as live aircraft.
LEXIOS is also designed to provide a simulated environment with a range of battlespace threats, Northrop added.
The exercise involved live F-16 aircraft from the 80th Fighter Squadron at Kunsan Air Base in South Korea as well as F-22s that the 90th Fighter Squadron operated through simulators at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson in Alaska.
Northrop noted the F-16 and F-22 fighters engaged in air-to-air combat against four live F-16s from the 18th Aggressor Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base.
“As adversaries continually improve their capabilities, the ability to add LVC is critical to best train and prepare F-22 pilots for dealing with the full complement and degree of threats,” said Col. Brian Toth, commander of the 354th Operations Group at Eielson AFB.
The LVC exercise was conducted as part of the Distant Frontier unit-level training at the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex for tactical interoperability.
Northrop serves as prime contractor under the Air Force’s Distributed Mission Operations Network that aims to provide a “realistic” virtual environment where different aircraft platforms in various locations can jointly train and operate.
