The U.S. Air Force recently introduced a breakthrough in air combat training. The P5 Combat Training System is a data recording and communications pod that aircraft carry while doing combat training with other aircraft or against ground targets. Previously, aircrews had to do their training at a training area equipped with electronic equipment on the ground  (an "instrumented range") to record who was where and did what. The pilots also had to communicate with a ground tower to coordinate this combat training. The P5 pods communicate with each other and record training activities which can be viewed and evaluated from ground systems, just like they could when using the "instrumented range". In other words, like the "flight recorder" capability in combat flight simulator games, pilots can play back their training exercises on a PC. The J5 pod means that pilots can now train anywhere and get the same quality of feedback they received on an instrumented range. The U.S. Navy worked with the air force on developing the J5 and will buy pods as well for aircraft deployed on carriers.