What RED 6 does

Red Six Aerospace, Inc. ("Red 6") is a privately held U.S. defense technology company founded in 2018 by former RAF fighter pilot Daniel Robinson. The company develops ATARS (Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System), described as the world's first outdoor, airborne augmented reality platform capable of projecting full-color, wide field-of-view synthetic adversary aircraft, surface threats, and missiles directly into a pilot's helmet-mounted display during live, high-speed flight. The system is built around the proprietary EVE (Enhanced Visual Environment) headset — specified at 160° field of view, 18,000 nits brightness, 1.8% optical efficiency, and sub-10ms latency — paired with a waveform- and network-agnostic low-latency protocol and AI-driven synthetic adversary behaviors. The complementary ARCADE (Augmented Reality Command and Analytic Data Environment) platform provides ground-based command, control, and objective readiness analytics, and the platform integrates with Palantir's Ontology SDK for structured data analytics.

Red 6's customer base spans the U.S. Air Force (T-38 Talon SBIR Phase III integration, F-16 Fighting Falcon via Air Combat Command and AFRL, MC-130, STRATFI multi-MAJCOM), U.S. Army (AH-64E Apache CATT via Boeing), U.S. Navy (Freedom Jet/UJTS proposal via SNC), U.K. Royal Air Force (Hawk T2 demonstrations), Italian Air Force and broader M-346 operators (via Leonardo), and other allied air forces. Revenue is generated through long-cycle U.S. government procurement contracts — including an SBIR Phase III worth up to $70M for T-38 and a $30M STRATFI multi-MAJCOM award — supplemented by hardware sales of ATARS kits, SBIR/AFWERX non-dilutive funding, and emerging commercial entertainment licensing (theme parks, sports). Distribution is achieved through integration partnerships with every major defense prime contractor — Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Leonardo, BAE Systems, and SNC — embedding ATARS into trainer and combat aircraft pipelines.

The company is headquartered in Orlando, Florida (with offices in Denver and historically Santa Monica, Miami, and Los Angeles), holds ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D aerospace quality certifications, and employed approximately 150 people as of May 2025. It has raised a $30M Series A (2021) at a $130M post-money valuation led by Snowpoint Ventures, a $70M Series B (2023) led by RedBird Capital Partners, and senior secured debt financing from Rochefort Asset Management in May 2026 to support scaled ATARS production. Leadership combines founder/CEO Daniel Robinson, a bench of CXOs drawn from USAF flag officers and primes (CAE, Lockheed Martin, L3Harris, SNC, Sierra Space), and a board chaired by retired 4-Star General Mike Holmes (former Air Combat Command commander), with retired 3-Star General Thomas Bergeson (former USCENTCOM) and representatives from Snowpoint, RedBird, Moonshots Capital, and Alpha Edison. Recognitions include the 2021 Popular Science Best of What's New Award (Aerospace) and LinkedIn Top Startups 2025 (Denver).

Name

RED 6

Legal name

Red Six Aerospace, Inc.

Website

https://red6ar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Red Six Aerospace (Red 6) is an Orlando-based defense technology company that develops ATARS, an outdoor airborne augmented reality system enabling military pilots to train against AI-driven synthetic adversaries during live flight, serving U.S. and allied air forces and rotorcraft programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Military Flight Training Systems

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Flight Training (611512)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

Serious Games & Simulation Studios (Training, Defense, Enterprise) (MPAFAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autonomy Software, AI & Mission Management (UAS/UXV) (IMABAIAH), Avionics Displays & Human-Machine Interface (EFIS/HUD/HMD) (IMABAFAH)

Keywords

• Augmented reality training
• Military flight training
• Helmet-mounted displays
• Synthetic threat simulation
• Defense AR systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. U.S. Government Defense Contracts: Red 6 generates revenue primarily through government defense contracts with the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Army. Major contracts include a SBIR Phase III contract worth up to $70M for T-38 integration, a $30M multi-MAJCOM STRATFI contract with the USAF, and an F-16 ATARS integration contract awarded through Air Combat Command and AFRL. Revenue is long-cycle, program-of-record driven.
2. International Military Sales & Allied Government Contracts: Red 6 sells ATARS systems to allied military forces including the UK Royal Air Force (Hawk T2 integration), and is in discussions with additional international air forces. Leonardo partnership targets international M-346 operators. Revenue derived from foreign military sales and direct contracts with allied defense ministries.
3. ATARS Hardware Sales: Sale of ATARS helmet-mounted optical systems, cabling, and airborne computing hardware. Hardware is designed to be platform-agnostic and helmet-agnostic. Production for the T-38 fleet is planned to launch Q2 2026, with scaling through 2027 for F-16 and other platforms.
4. SBIR / AFWERX Research Funding: Red 6 originated through Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts with AFWERX, the Air Force's innovation hub. Early-stage non-dilutive funding supported prototype development before transition to larger procurement contracts.
5. Commercial Entertainment Applications: Red 6 is exploring commercial applications of its AR technology for theme parks, sports, and entertainment, leveraging its outdoor-capable 4K full-color optics and multi-player network capabilities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

RED 6 develops ATARS (Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System), the world's first outdoor airborne augmented reality training system that projects full-color, wide field-of-view synthetic adversary aircraft, missiles, and surface threats directly into a pilot's helmet during live flight. The platform combines the proprietary EVE (Enhanced Visual Environment) headset hardware with ARCADE (Augmented Reality Command and Analytic Data Environment) software for command-level training and readiness analytics, enabling military pilots to train against near-peer threats without physical aggressor aircraft.

Product overview

RED 6 is a defense technology company offering a unified augmented reality training platform centered on ATARS (Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System). ATARS is a helmet-mounted augmented reality system that enables military pilots to train against synthetic threats in real-time during live flight operations. The platform is complemented by ARCADE (Augmented Reality Command and Analytic Data Environment) for ground-based command training and analytics, and the proprietary EVE (Enhanced Visual Environment) headset hardware. Together, these products create immersive, data-driven, AI-enabled 3D synthetic training worlds that allow humans and machines to train together safely, frequently, and at scale in realistic threat environments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ATARS (Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System): World's first outdoor, airborne augmented reality training system for military pilots
• ARCADE (Augmented Reality Command and Analytic Data Environment)
• EVE Headset (Enhanced Visual Environment)

Products and services

• ATARS (Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System) The world's first outdoor, airborne augmented reality training system that projects synthetic threat environments (adversary aircraft, missiles, surface threats, friendly assets) directly into a pilot's helmet during live flight, enabling realistic combat training without physical aggressor aircraft. Targeted at U.S. and allied military aviation programs.
• ARCADE (Augmented Reality Command and Analytic Data Environment) Ground-based augmented reality system for command-level training and data analytics that complements ATARS by providing data-driven training environments and objective readiness measurement capabilities for military operators and command staff.
• EVE Headset (Enhanced Visual Environment) A transformational wearable augmented reality headset with 160° field of view, 18,000 nits brightness, 1.8% optical efficiency, and sub-10ms latency. The brightest defense-market headset, designed for outdoor use in full daylight and high-speed dynamic environments. Platform-agnostic and helmet-agnostic.

Quantifiable outcome

• Estimated $10 billion in savings for U.S. combat aviation over a five-year period by reducing reliance on physical adversary aircraft
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LeonardocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2026Leonardo and Red 6 integrated ATARS into the Leonardo M-346 advanced jet trainer, creating the world's first operational jet trainer capable of projecting full-color synthetic adversary aircraft and surface threats directly into a pilot's helmet during live flight. The collaboration combines Red 6's airborne AR technology with the most widely adopted latest-generation Fighter Lead-In Trainer platform, establishing a new global benchmark for advanced jet training.
• BoeingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 November 2025Red 6 and Boeing expanded their partnership by integrating ATARS into Boeing's AH-64E Apache Crewstation Advanced Technology Testbed (CATT), marking Red 6's first rotorcraft platform and first U.S. Army platform partnership. This builds on prior collaboration on the T-7A Red Hawk trainer. ATARS enables customizable combat scenarios overlaid in real-world environments for both in-flight and ground-based mock cockpit training.
• Northrop GrummancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 August 2025Red 6 partnered with Northrop Grumman to integrate ATARS into the Beacon mission testbed — an open-access platform using the Scaled Composites Model 437 Vanguard for accelerating autonomous systems development. Red 6 joins Merlin, Shield AI, and others on the Beacon ecosystem to test AR training capabilities in autonomous aircraft contexts. Red 6 aims to begin production by mid-2026 within this framework.
• SNC (Sierra Nevada Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 July 2025SNC and Red 6 announced a strategic partnership to develop advanced military flight training capabilities, beginning with support for Red 6's $30M U.S. Air Force STRATFI contract. SNC serves as subcontractor developing airworthiness testing and evaluation plans. Additionally, the companies are collaborating to integrate ATARS into SNC's Freedom Jet proposal for the U.S. Navy's Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) program.
• AeralisminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2024Red 6 and Aeralis partnered to integrate airborne augmented reality with Aeralis's innovative modular aircraft systems, enabling sixth-generation-ready pilot training. The collaboration aims to bring ATARS capabilities to Aeralis's modular training aircraft architecture.
• Lockheed MartincoreTechnology or Integration · 12 February 2024Lockheed Martin and Red 6 announced augmented reality integration progress for the TF-50 (a variant of the T-50 Golden Eagle). The partnership integrates ATARS into Lockheed Martin's advanced jet trainer platform, building on existing collaboration to deliver next-generation training capabilities.
• BAE SystemscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 December 2022BAE Systems and Red 6 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to integrate ATARS into the BAE Systems Hawk aircraft trainer platform for military pilots. The Hawk-ATARS integration was unveiled at I/ITSEC 2022 in Orlando, Florida, facilitating airmen training in virtual cooperation and threat management for modern battlefield scenarios. The UK RAF subsequently conducted flight demonstrations of ATARS on the Hawk T2 at RAF Valley in December 2024.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• CAE: CAE is the global leader in military flight simulation and training systems, including synthetic training environments for fighter, trainer, and rotary-wing platforms. Directly comparable because CAE provides the simulation infrastructure against which Red 6's AR overlay competes and integrates; Red 6's president previously led CAE's Strike & C2 programs.
• Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC): SNC is both a strategic partner and a competing integrator pursuing the U.S. Navy Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) via its Freedom Jet. SNC provides airworthiness testing for Red 6's STRATFI contract and represents the prime-contractor counterparty whose platform decisions shape Red 6's trainer-program access.

Emerging players

• Anduril Industries: Anduril is a venture-scale defense technology company building autonomous systems, AI, and sensor products for the DoD. Comparable as a defense-tech peer in capital profile, growth stage, and government procurement motion, though Anduril focuses on autonomy and sensors rather than AR-based pilot training.
• Shield AI: Shield AI builds AI pilots for autonomous aircraft (Hivemind) and is a peer in the Northrop Grumman Beacon autonomous systems testbed alongside Red 6. Comparable as a defense autonomy peer addressing pilot and autonomy training challenges for next-generation combat aircraft.

Broad incumbents

• L3Harris Technologies: L3Harris is a large defense prime with significant simulation, training, and avionics businesses that compete with and complement Red 6's offerings. Comparable as a broad incumbent that could either integrate ATARS or develop an in-house competing AR training capability.
• Boeing: Boeing is both a Red 6 integration partner (T-7A Red Hawk, AH-64E Apache CATT) and a potential competitive threat via its own simulation and training programs. Relevant as a strategic counterpart whose platform choices directly determine Red 6's addressable market on trainer and attack platforms.
• Lockheed Martin: Lockheed Martin is both an investor (Lockheed Martin Ventures) and integration partner (TF-50) for Red 6. Comparable as a defense prime with the ability to shape Red 6's commercial trajectory through platform integration decisions on F-35 and TF-50 programs.
• Leonardo: Leonardo is Red 6's integration partner for the M-346 advanced jet trainer and a global supplier of military trainer aircraft. Directly comparable in the trainer market where Leonardo's platform decisions dictate Red 6's international footprint across M-346 operators worldwide.
• BAE Systems: BAE Systems signed the original MOU with Red 6 to integrate ATARS into the Hawk trainer and facilitated the UK RAF's in-flight demonstrations. Comparable as the prime whose Hawk T2 platform underwrites Red 6's primary international reference deployment.

Others

• Palantir Technologies: Palantir is a Red 6 data integration partner (Ontology SDK), an indirect investor via Snowpoint Ventures (Doug Philippone), and a broader defense-software peer. Comparable as a defense-software platform with overlapping government customers and a complementary role in defense data and analytics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@red6ar
• Xx.com/red6ar
• Facebookfacebook.com/Red-6-100083313604303
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/red6

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds12 records

Investors27 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RED 6