Leveraging DMO's Hi-Tech Simulation Against the F-16 Flying Training Gap

The task of training pilots to become and remain combat ready in modern fighter aircraft is an increasingly difficult endeavor. The U.S. Air Force's proliferation of high-tech simulators such as those found in the Mission Training Centers (MTC) present a viable solution to closing the gap in training created by the complexity of advanced fighter aircraft. However, this proliferation resulted from a desire to fill gaps in realistic combat environment training produced by peacetime safety constraints. The purpose of this research is to examine leveraging hi-tech simulation assets against the every growing gap in training caused by a systematic reduction in the average fighter pilot's flying hours, coincident with a massive increase in fighter aviation technology. The F-16 community in particular, experienced a quantum leap in software and hardware technology advancement over the past decade.