Fourth-generation F-16 Fighting Falcons interoperated with virtual fifth-generation F-22 Raptors during a recent U.S. Air Force training event in Alaska, Northrop Grumman announced. The capability is considered key for future training requirements, the service asserts.

Two virtual F-22s operated from simulators at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson in Anchorage flew and trained alongside four live F-16s during the “Distant Frontier” training event held in advance of the Red Flag-Alaska training exercise. The F-16s, assigned to the 80th Fighter Squadron at Kunsan Air Base, Korea, flew from Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks.

The fighters were linked by Northrop Grumman’s live, virtual and constructive (LVC) Experimentation, Integration and Operations Suite, called LEXIOS. Through LEXIOS, virtual aircraft operated by actual air crew participate in the same airspace with live aircraft “via networked simulators at full security levels.” The Distant Frontier event was an “LVC first,” the manufacturer said August 8.

The live and virtual formation trained for air-to-air combat against F-16s from the 18th Aggressor Squadron based at Eielson AFB.

“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, which includes the 18th Aggressor Squadron and 353rd Combat Training Squadron. “LVC is vital for fifth-generation aircraft. It provides realistic threats and is capable of evolving to meet future training requirements.”

Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor of the USAF’s Distributed Mission Operations Network, a system that allows dissimilar aircraft platforms to interoperate and train together in a realistic virtual environment.