Training for the AH-64 Apache helicopter could soon look less like rehearsal and more like the real thing.
Columbia-based firm DigiFlight is pushing into AI-assisted training with its Phoenix Mixed Reality Flight Training Device, designed to mirror the Apache’s operational environment down to its tandem cockpit and mission systems.
The simulator recreates the helicopter’s dual-seat layout for pilot and co-pilot or gunner, complete with detailed flight controls, instruments, and cockpit geometry.
Phoenix also goes beyond individual training, as multiple units can link up, letting crews train together, run coordinated missions, and operate inside the same virtual scenario.
“Today’s global security environment is increasingly volatile, and the men and women flying combat missions must be ready to operate in complex and unpredictable situations,” said Stan Oliver, chief executive officer of DigiFlight.
“Phoenix allows aviators to train in a fully immersive environment that mirrors real mission conditions while maintaining the safety and repeatability that advanced simulation provides. It’s about ensuring today’s warfighters are prepared for whatever the battlespace demands.”
The system made its debut at the 2026 Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA) event.
Key Features
The simulator combines an accredited aerodynamic flight model with simulation software originally developed for Redstone Arsenal.
Its modular open systems architecture allows new weapons and sensor packages to be integrated over time without requiring major redesigns, keeping the platform adaptable as mission needs evolve.
Phoenix also replicates key Apache systems, including night vision and targeting sensors, helmet-mounted display overlays, and the full onboard weapons suite, from guns and rockets to guided missiles.
At the center is an AI-driven assistant that tracks pilot performance in real time, offering in-scenario guidance, flagging gaps in tactics, techniques and procedures, and helping manage workload as missions unfold.
Post-flight, after-action review tools let instructors analyze synchronized cockpit views alongside system data, giving crews a clearer, data-backed breakdown of each run.
