ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England -- A locally developed solution to improve Air Force fitness is making an impact force-wide. Airmen assigned to RAF Mildenhall's Royal Spark innovation team created the USAF Hight Aerobic Multi-shuttle Run Pacer Unit V1, a device that has already been requested by more than 50 organizations across the Department of the Air Force while costing a fraction of comparable commercial systems.
Royal Spark brings together Airmen from multiple squadrons to solve operational challenges through cross-functional collaboration. By combining diverse perspectives, the team rapidly designs and fields practical innovations that improve mission effectiveness.
Among the team's growing portfolio of innovations, one project has attracted attention across the Air Force.
Tech. Sgt. Justin Gault, former Wing Innovation Lab Director, noticed persistent inconsistencies in how Airmen performed during the High Aerobic Multi-Shuttle Run portion of the physical fitness test. They often struggled to maintain the correct pace because the test relies solely on audio cues.
“If you've run the HAMR test before, it's all based on audio,” said Master Sgt. Kyle Harmon, 100th Air Refueling Wing Royal Spark process manager. “There is no way of knowing if you're moving too fast or too slow until you've already missed the mark or exceeded the mark. So, the HAMR pacer allows you to run at a consistent, even pace, to maintain your energy. There's no room for error.”
To provide a solution to the issue, Gault and the Royal Spark team engineered the HAMR pacing unit. The device projects a dynamic, visual light-pacing system that indicates exactly how fast an Airman must run to meet their mark. By eliminating a sole reliance on audio cues, the system prevents early-stage overexertion and helps runners sustain their stamina deeper into the test.
“What makes our device unique is that it stores and plays the official USAF HAMR audio track in perfect synchronization with the lights,” Gault said. “The device creates its own local Wi-Fi network, allowing users to control it from any smartphone without internet access or additional software."
By keeping the design open source, the Royal Spark team created a highly sustainable, cost-effective training aid. Airmen can now train using the same pacing technology utilized by Olympic-level athletes, but at a fraction of the commercial cost.
“It only costs around $300 to build, which is a 90% savings compared to $3,000 commercial units,” Gault said. “Our goal is to make this adaptable so any squadron in the Air Force can easily build their own and enhance their physical readiness.”
The device is rapidly gaining traction across the Department of the Air Force. To date, 52 squadrons, including the Office of the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, the Presidential Logistics Squadron, the Defense Health Agency, all Air Education and Training Command detachments, 13 major commands, and Headquarters Air Force have requested blueprints to build the device themselves.
As the USAF HAMR Pacer Unit V1 rolls out to more units, the Royal Spark team remains focused on its next iteration of defense solutions.
“Our unique operational model proves that the Air Force does not always need to rely on expensive commercial partners or long acquisition cycles to innovate,” said Gault. “We consistently design and field custom-fit products for our local mission at negligible costs and on extremely compressed timelines.”
For technical specifications, schematics, and instructions on how to build the device, squadrons can email the Royal Spark Office via NIPR at 100ARW.RoyalSpark@us.af.mil.
"It was rewarding to see every part of our office come together, from identifying the need through market research to building a prototype in less than a day and refining it through multiple iterations,” Harmon said. “Watching the process work exactly as intended and seeing the solution quickly gain momentum showed what our team can accomplish when everyone plays their part."