Specular Theory Secures New U.S. Air Force Contracts to Expand XR Aircrew Training Across E-3 and KC-135 Platforms

New USAF awards extend Specular Theory’s XR aircrew training family of systems to E-3 and KC-135, adding ACC and boosting readiness across MAJCOMs.

VENICE BEACH, CA, UNITED STATES, November 20, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Specular Theory, a leader in immersive training for the U.S. Air Force, has been awarded new contracts to expand its XR Aircrew Training Family of Systems—EARL, BART, and MATT—across the E-3 AWACS and KC-135 Stratotanker platforms.

The awards mark a major step forward in Specular Theory’s rapid growth and reflect continued confidence from Air Force leadership in the company’s ability to deliver field-ready, high-impact training technology at enterprise scale. The new efforts add Air Combat Command (ACC) as a customer and build on ongoing work with Air Mobility Command (AMC) and Air Education and Training Command (AETC), benefiting Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) and Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC).

Because Specular Theory’s systems operate within a unified XR training architecture, each investment introduces capabilities that extend across MAJCOMs and platforms. The company’s early work with AFGSC began with B-52 receiver-pilot training in EARL. When AETC later funded development of the KC-46 tanker module, those capabilities became instantly available to Global Strike units. Today, every receiver aircraft added into EARL allows pilots to practice refueling from KC-135 and KC-46 tankers, while boom operators can train against any receiver aircraft. This shared ecosystem ensures that each new platform, courseware module, or feature delivers enterprise-wide value—accelerating training advancement across the Air Force and Department of Defense.

This expansion was supported by Air Force Operational Energy (SAF/IEN), which increases combat capability and mitigates operational risk to the warfighter through energy-informed solutions and technologies. The organization has been a major champion of Specular Theory’s immersive training systems. Its ongoing support reflects a strong partnership dedicated to delivering measurable readiness gains while reducing fuel use, cost, and risk across the Air Force.

“Products like EARL demonstrate how innovation and operational need can align to improve readiness and deliver meaningful impact for the Department of the Air Force,” said Roberto Guerrero, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Operational Energy, Safety & Occupational Health. “We’re proud to collaborate with companies like Specular Theory, who are rapidly getting cutting-edge technology into the hands of the warfighter.”

With these awards, funds will be used to extend Specular Theory’s Experiential Air Refueling Lightweight Sim (EARL) to support Air Combat Command’s E-3 AWACS community. EARL is a lightweight, state-of-the-art virtual-reality part-task trainer that enables pilots and boom operators to practice air refueling with unmatched realism and precision. Roughly the size of a desk, the system replicates boom and receiver dynamics with physics-level accuracy, allowing airmen to train anywhere—reducing costs and fuel use while increasing proficiency and access.

EARL features a built-in AI instructor, instructor-recorded lesson capability, custom courseware, and a robust analytics platform that tracks progress, benchmarks performance, and gamifies learning through leaderboards and real-time feedback.

“EARL has already proven its ability to produce higher-quality aircrews, reduce flying-hour requirements, and save fuel while maintaining exceptional realism,” added Guerrero. “With widespread adoption, systems like EARL could generate hundreds of millions of dollars in savings over their lifetime by cutting aircraft flight requirements and significantly boosting mission capability and overall readiness.”

“In just a few years, we’ve gone from a single Direct-to-Phase II SBIR to being fielded across fourteen aircraft and seven of nine MAJCOMs—proving what’s possible when small businesses are empowered to deliver meaningful capability,” said Morris May, CEO of Specular Theory.

Additionally, the new funding will expand KC-135 procedural training for pilots and boom operators at the Formal Training Unit through Specular Theory’s Mobile Aircrew Task Trainer (MATT)—a fully mobile, AI-enabled VR solution that enables aircrews to rehearse checklists and procedures anytime, anywhere. With this effort, Altus Air Force Base becomes the first installation where all FTUs—the C-17, KC-46, and now the KC-135—train using Specular Theory’s family of XR aircrew training systems, marking a major milestone in the Air Force’s shift toward portable, scalable, and data-driven training.

These products can be accessed in every squadron across Altus AFB, as well as in the “REP Room,” where students can train, get product demos, and compete on leaderboards. Located inside the 97th Operations Group building, just down the hall from the Training Squadron (TRS) and Student Administration, the space allows students to check out headsets and begin training upon arrival. Many take MATT headsets back to their dorms to practice procedures before entering a simulator or aircraft—arriving more confident and proficient on day one. This approach has delivered measurable results for the FTUs, helping students advance faster, reducing instructor time, and lowering re-fly rates while increasing throughput.

“By rapidly fielding our technology, the Air Force is achieving greater capability, efficiency, and impact with every dollar invested,” said Ryan Pulliam, Co-Founder of Specular Theory.

Headquartered in Venice Beach, California, with a hardware facility in Livermore, California, Specular Theory continues to scale its XR Aircrew Training Family of Systems across the Air Force. Its products are now deployed across fourteen U.S. Air Force aircraft and supported by seven of nine MAJCOMs, including AFGSC, AFSOC, AETC, AMC, ACC, AFMC, and AFRC.

About Specular Theory
Founded in 2013, Specular Theory is an award-winning immersive technology company redefining how the U.S. Air Force trains, qualifies, and sustains aircrew. Rooted in Hollywood visual effects, AAA gaming, and Big Tech, the company combines creative and technical expertise with mission insight to deliver XR training systems that drive measurable gains in readiness and cost efficiency.

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