Ryan Aerospace Unveils T-6 Texan II Mixed Reality Trainer
The mixed reality training device pairs a physical T-6 cockpit with the Varjo XR-4 headset and will debut publicly at I/ITSEC in Orlando.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Consumer Electronics
Ryan Aerospace has announced the T-6 Texan II Mixed Reality Immersive Training Device, which combines a physical, full-scale T-6 cockpit with the Varjo XR-4 mixed reality headset. The device will make its first public appearance at the I/ITSEC conference in Orlando, Florida.
Why it matters
The device lets students touch and operate real cockpit controls while flying in a fully rendered virtual world, with only the components that need to be physical kept real. Because it is built on the company's ITD Gen 2 common platform, development costs are already absorbed, a saving Ryan Aerospace says it passes on to customers.
The trainer uses the Varjo XR-4 mixed reality headset and is built on Ryan Aerospace's ITD Gen 2 common platform, with T-6 side panel pods carrying throttle and Power Control Lever, a Main Instrument Panel with working multi-purpose displays, and an electrically adjustable ejection-style seat with control-loaded rudder pedals. Pricing and performance comparisons against rival devices were not disclosed.
The players
Ryan Aerospace
Ryan Aerospace is a defense and aerospace company that has supplied T-6 and T-38 training devices to the US Air Force and US Navy.
Varjo
Varjo is a Finnish company that makes high-resolution mixed reality headsets used in professional simulation and training.
The details
The T-6 Texan II ITD pairs a physical, full-scale T-6 cockpit with the Varjo XR-4 headset, and the device is software agnostic. Ryan Aerospace has previously supplied T-6 and T-38 training devices to the US Air Force and US Navy.
Timeline
30 November to 3 December 2026: Public debut of the T-6 Texan II ITD at I/ITSEC in Orlando, Florida.
The Tech Race
The T-6 ITD extends Ryan Aerospace's earlier T-6 and T-38 training device lineage by reusing its ITD Gen 2 platform to add mixed reality to a physical cockpit. Positioning against rival simulator makers was not addressed in the extraction.
For the military and aviation training community, the device offers a way to train on real cockpit controls within a virtual environment. Pricing and delivery timelines for customers were not disclosed in the announcement.
The takeaway
Mixed reality training devices that keep real controls in the loop may narrow the gap between simulator time and aircraft time for student pilots. Readers tracking defense training technology can watch the I/ITSEC debut for performance details.
Further reading
For related coverage of immersive hardware, see Consumer Electronics.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Australian Defence magazine.
