SDT ACMI Pod: how it trains fighter pilots
Quick answer: The SDT ACMI (Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation) pod is an air combat training system carried as an external store on F-16s and similar fighter aircraft. In flight, the pod generates position data, simulates weapon firings and reports the “hit or miss” result to the pilot in real time. According to the company’s official figures, the system’s RF data link runs at 5 Mbps, offers a range of 200 nautical miles air to air and 100 nautical miles air to ground, and uses AES-256 encryption.
What does an ACMI pod do?
The most expensive and riskiest stage in training combat pilots is the air combat exercise flown with real aircraft. The ACMI pod makes those exercises measurable without expending live ammunition. According to SDT’s official product page, the system provides real-time autonomous position generation, high-fidelity weapon and countermeasure simulation, safety warnings and post-mission interoperability. Connected to the aircraft data bus over the MIL-STD-1553 standard, the pod works together with mission planning, live monitoring, debriefing and analysis software. The company also describes the system as a Live-Virtual-Constructive (LVC) training infrastructure.
What do the technical specifications say?
| Feature | Official figure |
|---|---|
| Data link speed | 5 Mbps |
| Air-to-air communication range | 200 nautical miles (about 370 km) |
| Air-to-ground communication range | 100 nautical miles (about 185 km) |
| Communications protocol | Dynamic TDMA |
| Encryption | AES-256 |
| Platform integration | MIL-STD-1553 aircraft data bus |
| Mission software | 2D/3D mission planning, live monitoring, debriefing, analysis |
The pod’s price and production numbers have not been officially disclosed. According to A1 Capital’s May 2026 note, the ACMI product family accounts for 7.9 million dollars of the company’s 85.3 million dollar order backlog.
Which forces use it?
According to the company’s official website, its data link products serve on the Turkish Armed Forces’ F-4 and F-16 platforms, and the system was used under the Turkish Air Force’s ACMI program. General Manager Ömer Korkut said in an interview published in June 2025 that ACMI pods were integrated on F-16 and JF-17 aircraft in Pakistan. The pod’s data link technology was also exported to South Korea’s KF-21 fighter program; the details of that success are examined in the export file. Air combat training infrastructure is used intensively in the Turkish Air Force’s Anatolian Eagle exercises; SDT announced its participation in the 2023 exercise on its official website.
Which products round out the ACMI family?
The ACMI pod is the visible face of SDT’s data link product family. An embedded training simulation data link derived from the same technology base is offered in LRU form, installed inside the aircraft instead of an external pod. Data link systems developed for drones and unmanned aerial vehicles also draw on this accumulated experience.
According to the official product page, the data link hardware at the core of the family operates in the S and L bands with relay capability; it supports GMSK, SO-QPSK, pi/4-QPSK, 8-PSK and QAM modulations and four channel coding methods including LDPC. COFDM provides non-line-of-sight (NLOS) communications, while FHSS and DSSS provide resistance to jamming. The hardware is built to the MIL-STD-461G electromagnetic compatibility, MIL-STD-810G environmental and MIL-STD-704F power standards. The company states that size, weight and power (SWaP) characteristics can be customized to requirements. The product’s position in the global market is covered in the Cubic P5 comparison file, and the company’s other training solutions in the simulator file. All product groups can be reached through the SDT product guide; the company’s corporate profile and IPO are described in detail in the what-is-SDT file.
Frequently asked questions
What does ACMI stand for?
Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation: the instrumentation that records and scores air combat maneuvering training.
Does the pod use real weapons?
No. The system simulates weapon firings in software and reports the outcome to the pilot with a real-time hit-or-miss notification; no live ammunition is expended.
Which aircraft carry the SDT ACMI pod?
The official product page points to F-16s and similar air platforms. The company states that its data link products serve on the Turkish Armed Forces’ F-4 and F-16 aircraft.
How many aircraft can join a training session?
The official page refers to support for a high number of participants; the data link’s TDMA architecture supports 200 participants. An exact aircraft count per exercise has not been disclosed.
Has the ACMI pod been exported?
General Manager Ömer Korkut said ACMI pods were integrated on F-16 and JF-17 aircraft in Pakistan. The data link technology is also used in South Korea’s KF-21 program.
Sources and verification note
Technical figures were taken from the company’s official product pages; user and export information was confirmed from official news announcements and a general manager interview. Price and quantity data were omitted because they have not been disclosed.
- https://www.sdt.com.tr/tr/cozumlerimiz/simulasyon-sistemleri-ve-bilisim-teknolojileri/acmi-pod-sistemi (Accessed: August 12, 2026)
- https://www.sdt.com.tr/tr/cozumlerimiz/radar-elektronik-harp-ve-haberlesme/acmi-pod-data-link-sistemleri (Accessed: August 12, 2026)
- https://www.sdt.com.tr/tr/cozumlerimiz/simulasyon-sistemleri-ve-bilisim-teknolojileri (Accessed: August 12, 2026)
- https://www.sdt.com.tr/tr/haberler/anadolu-kartali-tatbikati-2023 (Accessed: August 12, 2026)
- https://euronewsport.com/sdt-uzay-savunma-teknolojileri-genel-muduru-omer-korkut-sdt-olarak-kontrollu-buyumeyi-hedefliyoruz/ (Accessed: August 12, 2026)
- https://a1capital.com.tr/sdttr-toplanti-notu-ve-mali-gorunum/ (Accessed: August 12, 2026)
