Doctrine Command) Capability Manager) Gaming, provided an overview of the Gaming Training Strategy. Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI)’s Lt. Col. Gary Stevens described how that agency would field its next-generation Game After Ambush! throughout the Army. Virtual worlds such as Second Life seem to be the next technological leap forward for training applications. Major General Erwin Lessel III described how Air Education and Training Command (AETC) is employing its Second World My Base Virtual Learning Environment. He said that My Base is a virtual Air Force base designed to support recruiting, learning and education, where through their avatars, airmen can attend classes, access knowledge bases and collaborate on projects, among other activities. He emphasized the services must find ways to adopt and integrate new technologies such as virtual worlds into their training environments to keep from disenfranchising younger enlistees who have experience with these technologies at home and expect to employ them for learning instead of the traditional classroom approach.
Overall, more than 50 military, academic and industry presenters gave presentations and provided demonstrations of the latest in gaming and virtual worlds during the three-day event. According to GameTech 2009 organizers, given this success, they have every expectation of turning this into an annual event in Orlando.
COMPUTER-BASED NAVAL TRAINERS The Royal New Zealand Navy has placed an order with UK software company DT Media following a six month tender and evaluation process. The Royal New Zealand Navy will install DT Media’s Fleetman Fleetwork Simulation Trainer, which is a family of computer-based naval trainers designed to exploit the full power of modern PCs, at its Maritime Warfare Training Center, in Auckland. Fleetman enables the running of simulation exercises using a mix of ships, submarines, helicopters and aircraft. Students, or groups of students, may be assigned to different platforms within the exercise over a workstation network.
OPERATIONAL FLIGHT TRAINER The Boeing Company has delivered an operational flight trainer (OFT) to Australia for the Project Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) program. The OFT, which the customer accepted in February, is the first segment of the Wedgetail program to be delivered to Australia. The Wedgetail aircraft is a derivative of the commercial 737-700 and the OFT is based on the proven technology of the Next-Generation 737 simulator platforms. The motion-based flight simulator was designed, built and installed by Thales and managed under a subcontract by Boeing Defence Australia. The OFT is customized to account for the unique characteristics of the Wedgetail AEW&C system, including controls for the communication, aerial-refuelling and Electronic Warfare Self Protection systems. Prior to delivery, the OFT was awarded zero flight time status, the highest level of accreditation under Australian standards. The simulator has been installed at the Wedgetail AEW&C Support Center at RAAF base Williamtown.
ITEC 2009
Visit us at stand #F150 This year at ITEC, KONGSBERG will demonstrate the PROTECTOR Training System, the Combat Trainer for the CV90 vehicle - both systems supported by KONGSBERG’s BaSE core technology. We would like to encourage our present and potential new customer to contact us prior to the trade fair, to allow us to set aside time for a demonstration, kda.simulation@kongsberg.com.
www.kongsberg.com MS&T MAGAZINE • ISSUE 2/2009
53