US Air Force In-Flight Refueling VR

Objective

The US Air Force sought to enhance recruitment by providing hands-on experience of the In-Flight Refueling Specialist role through immersive VR technology. The goal was to showcase the technical precision, complexity, and real-world demands of one of the Air Force's most critical operational roles, reaching recruits nationwide through an engaging, experiential medium rather than traditional advertising.

Solution

A VR experience deployed on Meta Quest 2 headsets with Leap Motion hand-tracking technology, allowing players to control boom operator equipment to refuel three aircraft scenarios—F-35 fighter, B-2 stealth bomber, and C-17 cargo transport—of increasing difficulty. The experience featured replica physical joysticks and throttles, haptic feedback via rumble seat, and real-time guidance from recorded USAF boom operators. Developed in close collaboration with active boom operators at Cannon Air Force Base, the experience was deployed as a centerpiece of 'The Hangar'—a mobile recruiting tour featuring six interactive VR/AR experiences that traveled to 23+ events across 15 US states.

Results

Activate: Special Warfare, a mobile VR recruiting campaign launched in April 2021, attracted over 12,000 participants across 23 events in 15 states, with 5,282 opting in to learn more and 1,453 becoming actual recruitment leads.