Australian Chief of Air Force Visits BlueRoom at Dubai Airshow
- Ben K
- Nov 19
- 3 min read
A milestone moment for Australian-made Mixed Reality technology on the world stage.
The BlueRoom team was honoured to welcome Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Stephen Chappell DSC CSC OAM, to the BlueRoom Mixed Reality Simulator during the 2025 Dubai Airshow.
Air Marshal Chappell was joined by BlueRoom CTO Dale Linegar and Sukhdeep Sachdev, CEO of our UAE partner Leader Healthcare, during a live demonstration that showcased BlueRoom’s world-leading Mixed Reality aeromedical and mission-training capabilities.
A Capability Forged Through a Genuine Industry–Air Force Partnership
BlueRoom exists because of one simple, mission-critical problem experienced by the Royal Australian Air Force:
Aircrew could not reliably access aircraft for aeromedical and rear-crew training.
Aircraft availability, maintenance schedules, and operational priorities made traditional training increasingly difficult. Aircrew, especially medics needed a way to train realistically without depending on access to the aircraft.
Through the Australian Defence Innovation Hub, BlueRoom and the RAAF’s Health Operational Conversion Unit (HOCU) worked side-by-side over several years to:
Develop the world’s first fully immersive mature, commercialised and in-service Mixed Reality aeromedical simulator
Validate the training effects with Air Force instructors and crews
Iterate designs, hardware and software directly with end users
Share risk and co-invest in the capability
Build a sovereign Australian solution designed by Australians, for Australians
This collaboration transformed an early innovation idea into a TRL 9, fielded, commercially deployed capability now used across multiple nations.
Showcasing Australian Sovereign Capability on the Global Stage
At Dubai Airshow, one of the world’s most influential defence and aerospace exhibitions
BlueRoom demonstrated:
Real-equipment Mixed Reality aeromedical training
Full-scale rear-cabin workflows in C-130J, C-17, CH-47, AW139 and other airframes
Multi-user team training
Mission Control scenario authoring
Real-hands interaction through Varjo XR-4
Dynamic environments used for TCCC, SAR and aeromedical evacuation
Air Marshal Chappell’s visit reinforced BlueRoom’s position as a sovereign Australian capability with export-ready relevance for:
Air Forces
Medical training schools
Search and rescue teams
Air ambulance operators
Special operations aviation
NATO partners
The partnership between BlueRoom and Leader Healthcare in the UAE demonstrates how Australian innovation can successfully scale internationally with overseas partners while retaining its sovereign identity.
Strong Collaboration With Leader Healthcare in the UAE
Our UAE partner Leader Healthcare, represented by CEO Sukhdeep Sachdev, continues to play a central role in bringing BlueRoom capability to the Middle East.
Leader Healthcare supports:
Regional deployment
Local sustainment
Demonstrations and training
Integration with hospitals, air ambulance services and military medical units
The joint presence of BlueRoom and Leader Healthcare on the Team Defence Australia Pavilion at the Dubai Airshow highlights the strength of international collaboration built on Australian innovation.
Supporting Australia’s Defence Innovation Ecosystem
BlueRoom Simulations would not exist without the support of:
Royal Australian Air Force
Defence Innovation Hub
Health OCU
Capability innovation leaders across Defence Australia
The simulation community and technical advisors who contributed time and expertise
We are proud to be an example of what is possible when Defence and industry combine to solve operational challenges through innovation, experimentation and collaboration.
Looking Forward to the Next Era of BlueRoom & Air Force Collaboration
BlueRoom remains committed to supporting Air Force capability modernisation and ensuring that Australia maintains a sovereign, world-leading Mixed Reality training ecosystem.
We look forward to many more years of close collaboration and are honoured by the opportunity to showcase Australian innovation on the world stage.
To learn more about BlueRoom’s Mixed Reality systems or to request a demonstration, contact our team.
