Cost outcome: Switching to additive manufacturing with 3D Systems technology brought costs down considerably.
- Founding background: Wraith Systems was established in 2006 by a military veteran and a mechanical engineer; CEO Jason McAlister is a former AV-8B Harrier pilot who later worked on an F-35 Pilot Training Aid at Lockheed Martin.
- Training gap identified: The original system's reliance on the Thrustmaster F-16 stick and throttle system did not provide adequate training, an issue Wraith Systems addressed for over 15 years.
- Demand-driven change: Rising demand for HOTAS systems in 2023 made injection moulding non-viable at the company's volumes, prompting a move to 3D printing.
- End product: The F-35 Lightning II – X Grip Interceptor is a flight-representative desktop HOTAS suited to flight simulation and pilot training.
A Desktop Training Pedigree
Wraith Systems was founded in 2006 by a military veteran and his mechanical engineer friend, with a clear goal: bring aircraft pilot training to the desktop. That veteran was Jason McAlister, founder and CEO of Wraith Systems and a former AV-8B Harrier pilot. After his military career, McAlister joined Lockheed Martin, where he helped develop a Pilot Training Aid for F-35 pilots. That system relied on the Thrustmaster F-16 stick and throttle system — a setup that did not deliver adequate training.
Wraith Systems spent more than 15 years addressing that gap, producing flight-representative hardware for simulation and training.
Volumes That Didn't Fit the Mold
By 2023, demand for the company's Hands-On Throttle-And-Stick (HOTAS) systems had grown enough to force a manufacturing rethink.
"As demand for its Hands-On Throttle-And-Stick (HOTAS) systems increased in 2023, however, a change was needed."
The conventional options didn't pencil out. Injection moulding required volumes the business couldn't justify, and machining, while workable, wasn't the most attractive path forward.
"The volumes wouldn't quite make injection moulding viable, and while machining might have proved effective, developments in the 3D printing world caught McAlister's eye."
The Switch to Additive
Wraith Systems moved its HOTAS housing production to additive manufacturing, using technology from 3D Systems. The economics followed:
"Having made the switch to additive, costs have come down considerably."
The outcome of that transition is the F-35 Lightning II – X Grip Interceptor, described as a flight-representative desktop HOTAS suitable for flight simulation and pilot training on the F-35 Lightning II.
For manufacturing professionals, the takeaway is familiar but worth repeating: when volumes sit in the awkward middle ground between prototyping and mass production tooling, additive can be the cost-effective answer rather than a compromise.
Is this your company?
This article features your business. Claim it to add your logo, contact details, and a link to your website — or upgrade to reach more buyers.
Did you know 80% of Press Releases trigger AI content warnings? Reach out and the M4S team can assist.