Mixed Reality Integrated Hardware BPA

The U.S. Air Force Mixed Reality Hardware Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) at Sheppard Air Force Base supports the immersive training modernization efforts of the 80th Flying Training Wing (80th FTW), home of the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) program, the world’s only internationally manned and managed pilot training program, training approximately 65 percent of all U.S. Air Force fighter pilots and serving 14 NATO partner nations. The mixed reality environment used by the 80th FTW places student pilots in a controlled flying environment that enables them to learn and make mistakes with a safety net, created through the use of 360-degree cameras, skilled pilots, and actual imagery. The BPA establishes pre-negotiated pricing and streamlined ordering authority for the full stack of commercial-off-the-shelf hardware needed to build, sustain, and expand these immersive training stations, reducing procurement lead times and administrative overhead for the wing’s training innovation teams.

The hardware covered under the BPA spans a broad range of equipment categories consistent with the items detailed in IMPRES Technology Solutions’ pricing list. At the core are high-performance computing platforms, including workstation-class desktops, gaming-grade desktop systems, and high-end laptops, capable of rendering real-time mixed reality environments. These are paired with VR/XR headsets ranging from enterprise HTC Vive and Varjo XR-4 Secure Edition units to the Magic Leap 2 smart glasses, along with supporting peripherals including Ultraleap hand-tracking controllers, immersive sim chairs and haptic feedback systems, and a full complement of flight controls, HOTAS throttle-and-stick systems, rudder pedals, and mission-specific UFC and HUD panels that replicate F-18 and T-38 cockpit configurations. Mobile devices including iPads and GoPro 360 cameras, as well as noise-canceling headsets and 4K display systems, round out the procurement scope.

The BPA vehicle allows the 80th FTW and associated training units to call off individual task orders as training stations are fielded, refreshed, or expanded, consistent with broader Air Force and Defense Innovation Unit objectives to scale extended reality flight training across undergraduate pilot training bases using lightweight, agile hardware solutions integrated into a digital training backbone.

The BPA structure supports both near-term fielding needs and longer-term technology refresh cycles as the mixed reality training enterprise at Sheppard matures.