wORLd NEwS & ANALySIS
REAL-LIFE BATTLEFIELd SCENARIOS Fidelity Technologies Corp. has announced a $5.3 million contract with the US Air Force to create a simulation and training system that can be used for a full range of training exercises. The product, called the Joint Terminal Control Training and Rehearsal System (JTC TRS) will provide real-life battlefield scenarios for war fighters in four areas: Terminal Attack Control, Close Air Support, Air Traffic Control and Call for Fire coordination, training, and mission rehearsal. The highly-technological system will include a large 240x60 degree projection system, to serve as an interactive screen, and an extensive network of computers. As part of the contract, Fidelity will provide the Air Force with the specifics on how to build the simulator.
$16 MILLION CUBIC CONTRACT Cubic Simulation Systems, Inc. has been awarded a contract valued at more than $16 million for its Engagement Skills Trainer 2000 (EST 2000), a virtual training experience that allows soldiers to engage their foes on large, colorful projection screens using realistic simulated weapons ranging from pistols to grenade launchers. Validated by the US Army Infantry School, EST 2000 teaches marksmanship skills, squad-level collective defense and judgmental “shoot-don’t shoot” tactics. The system trains soldiers in the use of small arms, as well as the 50-caliber M2 machine gun and the 40mm Mark-19 grenade launcher.
ExpeditiondI UPGRAdE Quantum3D, Inc. has announced a substantial upgrade to ExpeditionDI, its immersive, man-wearable training system. The latest system, identified as ExpeditionDI Block 3, includes a new graphics processor that delivers a 300 percent performance improvement, as well as enhanced weapon instrumentation designed to improve realism for training infantryman. The new computer, internally dubbed ‘T2e’, is an enhanced version of the company’s ruggedized Thermite 1300 tactical visual computer. Designed specifically for the ExpeditionDI system, T2e enables the latest generation games and application 50
MS&T MAGAZINE • ISSUE 2/2009
software to be hosted on ExpeditionDI. Quantum3D has also added improved instrumentation to the weapons that it offers with its ExpeditionDI hardware platform. The instrumentation package for each weapon has been upgraded to support sensing all interaction with the weapon, including motion, aiming, modes of operation, and conduct of correct procedures for reloads and immediate action drills. John Carswell, ExpeditionDI program director at Quantum3D, commented on the importance of these system upgrades for the Army’s training initiatives: “Immersive infantry training will be one of the most important initiatives moving forward for our armed forces. The Army and Marine Corps are concerned with providing timely and accessible training to their infantryman, and ExpeditionDI is the industry’s only untethered, immersive training system that is capable of meeting these requirements by running a broad range of gaming and simulation software applications.”
TRAINING SYSTEMS UPGRAdE Meggitt Training Systems Inc. (MTSI) has been awarded a contract worth approximately $5 million from the US Army National Guard (ARNG) for enhancements to existing virtual small-arms trainers. Designed and manufactured by Meggitt, the simulators have been used successfully for over 12 years and continue to meet ARNG mandatory training requirements.
Cubic’s EST 2000. Image credit: Cubic.
Known as Combat Skills Marksmanship Trainers (CSMTs), the systems feature small-arms training courseware geared to the Guard’s homeland security missions. Small unit leaders use the CSMT to rehearse mission planning.
C$60 MILLION HELICOPTER TRAINING A joint venture of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and CAE has finalized all necessary contracts to begin construction and development of a new C$60 million helicopter training centre in Bangalore, India. The Helicopter Academy to Train by Simulation of Flying (HATSOFF) will have a CAE-built full mission simulator featuring CAE’s revolutionary roll-on/roll-off cockpit design, which enables cockpits representing various helicopter types to be used in the simulator. HATSOFF expects to be training at a new purpose-built facility in the second half of 2010. When fully operational, the facility will be able to train up to 400 helicopter pilots each year and expects to generate annual revenues of up to approximately C$20 million. Initially, HATSOFF will offer comprehensive training to civil and military customers operating four helicopter types: the Indian Army/Air Force variant of the HAL-built Dhruv, the civil variant of the Dhruv, the Bell 412 and the Eurocopter Dauphin.