Applicability of the Mixed Reality to Maintenance and Training Processes of C4I Systems in Italian Air Force

Abstract

Nowadays the budget constraints and the reduction of human resources, together with the increased complexity of management and control systems, have pushed large organization to look for new methodologies, to support these systems during their in-service phase. In this scenario, the use of new tools based on Augmented and Mixed Reality technology can make efficient the centralization of human resources with the subsequent reduction of intermediate level of maintenance and peripheral skilled people needs. With Virtual, Augmented and Mixed reality applications, skilled people, centrally located, can guide and assist local people remotely, by helping them to solve problems in a shorter time without traveling, with direct benefits in economical terms and in terms of an immediate operational availability. In recent years the benefits from Augmented and Mixed Reality have spread to many fields of application: medical, industrial and military. In this paper authors aim to present how the problem is faced inside the Italian Air Force (ITAF). The Proof of Concept (PoC) that ITAF is running will be presented and different technologies evaluated and compared, in order to investigate how to apply them to the Command Control Communications Computers and Intelligence (C4I) systems. The C4I systems are modern complex military systems whose operating phases call for innovative approach to assure the required operational services. The use of innovative tools, as Hololens, will be also analyzed, by showing how they allow efficient assistance to carry on specific operations remotely. Several Case Studies are presented, by showing that results are very promising, if compared to traditional methods. Conclusions and future works are highlighted.