Initial Development for the Virtual Air Environment Helen Pongracic, Mauro Iob, Lucien Zalcman

Robin Miller, John Fulton, David Craven Air Operations Division,

Defence Science and Technology Organisation P.O. Box 4331

MELBOURNE VIC 3001

Keywords: Virtual Air Environment, Distributed Simulation, Human-in-the-Loop Simulation, Computer Generated Forces, Air

Defence Controllers, Training

ABSTRACT: The Virtual Air Environment (VAE) is a new Australian Defence Department initiative which aims to provide embedded training capabilities for the Australian Air Defence System. The concept combines real and virtual systems, employing distributed simulation to selectively stimulate core operational systems. Aims of the Initial Development Phase (IDP) described in this paper are to investigate & demonstrate technical options and to construct an improved training system for Air Defence Controllers (ADCONs). The virtual system will comprise human-in-the-loop and computer generated forces simulations, which will provide cost-effective ways of generating players in air defence scenarios. The paper describes Air Operations Division's contributions to the IDP and the distributed simulation developments and demonstrations from which the ADCONs new training system will be developed. These activities are also guiding planning for future phases of the VAE program.

1. Introduction The Virtual Air Environment (VAE) concept [1]

integrates real assets and virtual simulations (comprising Human-in-the-Loop (HiL) and computer generated entities) in one synthetic environment to create a virtual world for training and other purposes. In its “mature” (long-term) implementation – which is not yet defined – this could involve most of the Australian Air Defence System (AADS). This is a considerable undertaking, which is being approached one stage at a time. The first stage – the Initial Development Phase – involves a demonstration of what may be technically feasible with current resources, with an application to Air Defence Controller (ADCON) training in the first instance. This is a joint activity between the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and the Defence Science and Technology Organisiation (DSTO) [2].

A number of new surveillance systems are due to enter RAAF service in the next few years, including the Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) and Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN). This will result in a significant increase in the number of ADCONs required. Current training practices, which rely heavily on the use of live assets, are unlikely to cost-effectively meet projected training demands [3,4]. New operational concepts associated with the new systems will also require different training methodologies.

Modelling and simulation can be used to provide a training system which will overcome many of the projected shortcomings of the current training systems by providing a synthetic environment in which live assets can be stimulated by, and interact with, networked simulators and/or computer generated forces (CGFs). This is the basis of the VAE.

1.1 VAE Initial Development Phase

To determine the viability of this concept, an Initial Development Phase (IDP) is underway to investigate the technical and operational issues associated with this proposal. The objective is to stimulate the operational Command and Control system using networked virtual and real world systems.

Overall objectives of the IDP are to: • develop, demonstrate and evaluate architectural

options for the development of a mature VAE; and • provide an Interim Training Capability (ITC) for

the RAAF Surveillance and Control Group - to be in service in mid-2001.

This paper describes the contribution made by the Air Operations Division (AOD) of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) to the IDP. There are two aspects to this work: • linking HiL simulators based in geographically

separate locations with the real (operational) system in order to stimulate and interact with the operational system; and

• stimulating the operational system with computer generated entities from a constructive simulation or other scenario generator.

These concepts will be illustrated in two demonstrations to be held in the first half of 2000. For obvious safety reasons, these interactions will be carefully controlled, and in the first instances the operational system will be in training-only mode.

The Systems Surveillance Division of DSTO is also involved with the project, but is working on other aspects of the VAE, which are not reported here.

A note on the terminology used in this paper. The distinction is made here between real (i.e. operational) systems and virtual systems (comprising both HiL

simulators and CGFs). Some of the modelling and simulation literature uses the term virtual simulation to mean HiL simulation only, and constructive simulation usually refers to wargaming models (which contain CGFs) used in operational analysis studies.

2. Initial Development Phase Activities The first objective of the IDP will be achieved by

demonstrating the technical feasibility of connecting various types of distributed simulators and having them be interoperable in a common virtual environment, and by demonstrating that geographically dispersed simulators can be linked and stimulate and interact with the operational system.

The stimulation of the operational system will be achieved by creating a common virtual environment based on the Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) networking protocols [5].

HiL simulators with a range of fidelities will be used; from simple flying desks through an intermediate range of PC-based systems to a high visual fidelity partial dome. CGF generators with varying degrees of sophistication will also be available to populate the virtual world.

In addition to the technical demonstration, this phase will provide insight into the potential of the various elements to form an Interim Training Capability (ITC) for ADCONs.

The next phase of this work is to provide the ITC, which will be based on the technologies demonstrated, and will be used operationally until the systems are updated under Projects AIR 5333 and JP2030.

A training analysis report [3] for ADCONs has been produced which identifies the training requirements associated with the existing air control and surveillance systems. Further training analysis studies are required to investigate the training requirements associated with new and future systems.

It is anticipated that this work will also provide some insight into the potential for joint (part task) training of interaction between ADCONs and pilots. It is expected that the upgraded F/A-18 simulators (and other flight training simulators) will be equipped with networking capabilities. This area of the VAE will be addressed in more detail elsewhere.

3. Integrating Real and Virtual Systems

The VAE concept is to have connectivity and interoperability between the real and virtual systems. In the first instance, the real system is based at RAAF Base Williamtown and the virtual system is located both at Williamtown and at DSTO in Melbourne. The real system is interfaced to the virtual system (which provides HiL simulators and CGFs) via a gateway (which converts DIS data into a format appropriate for the real system) connected to a Wide Area Network (WAN).

Figure 1 shows the various aspects required to achieve this in the IDP. The top section depicts the operational equipment where real radar systems provide input to the controller stations. The lower section

shows the virtual world with cockpits and scenario generators of various fidelities providing input to the real system over the network using the DIS protocols. A gateway has been developed which allows the DIS data to be converted into a format appropriate for use by the operational equipment. For communications between controllers and simulator operators, a DIS based "radio" communication system is being procured. This will provide for simulation of required special effects.

3.1 The Phoenix Display System Console at Williamtown

Air Defence Controllers use the “Phoenix” display system console which displays radar tracks derived from radar systems in different geographical locations. Data is fed from a radar using a Digital Target Extraction (DTE) format [6] to the Phoenix display console. The Air Defence Controllers act on the information in their display according to standard procedures.

The VAE concept aims to aid training by allowing tracks to be input to this display from the virtual system (HiL simulators and/or computer generated entities) rather than from expensive live entities such as multiple F/A-18 aircraft. In their training, ADCONs will learn to interpret the information in their displays and to issue appropriate advice to the “pilot” of the HiL simulator/s and the CGF system operator/s. The aim is to interact with the operational system and so stimulate the command and control system.

3.2 The Air Operations Simulation Centre

The Air Operations Simulation Centre (AOSC) is a research facility located in the Air Operations Division of DSTO at Fishermans Bend in Victoria. The AOSC contains several HiL simulation cockpits including F/A-18, F-111, Black Hawk/Seahawk and several flying desks. Display systems include a partial dome, collimated display, virtual reality helmets, and several projection systems. An intermediate fidelity PC-based simulator is also under development. Scenario generation software includes STAGEi (see section 5), ModSAFii and BattleModel (section 4). Combinations of these components can be networked using DIS protocols to other DIS-complaint systems as shown in figure 1.

It must be noted that AOSC facilities and connections are for concept development and demonstration and that they will not be part of an operational training system.

3.3 Wide Area Networking

For the demonstrations the VAE IDP requires interoperability between the real system (the Air Defence Controllers based at Williamtown) and a virtual system in the AOSC. A WAN has been installed between the real system at Williamtown in NSW and the AOSC at Fishermans Bend in Victoria.

i Developed by Virtual Prototypes Inc. ii Modular Semi-Automated Forces, U.S. Department of Defence

Telstra OnRamp Services have been installed at the Williamtown Airbase which provides 256 kbps bandwidth into Telstra’s ISDNiii system. This ISDN service was chosen as • it is already available at the AOSC, • it was easily and quickly installed at the

Williamtown Airbase, • it is inexpensive, and • bandwidth can easily be added.

Cisco networking equipment, such as that already in use throughout DSTO, has been installed. Configuration details and bandwidth requirements are well-documented [7,8,9]. Previous experience [7,10] indicates that 256 kbps should be sufficient bandwidth to demonstrate the required concepts. The 256 kbps ISDN WAN provides a transparent connection between the relevant Local Area Networks (LANs) at the Williamtown Airbase and the AOSC.

3.4 Interfacing DIS to a Physical Radar System

The AOSC is DIS-compliant, but the radar system at RAAF Williamtown has a proprietary interface. A gateway to connect these two environments has been developed.

In the real system, information arrives from radars in DTE format, and is processed by a tracking system which in turn feeds trackiv and plot data to the Phoenix display units.

The gateway can feed data directly to the display units (by emulating the tracking system), but in order for the simulated tracks to have all of the characteristics that real tracks would possess, (eg track history, prediction, etc.) the tracking computer must be stimulated in the way that emulates a real radar system.

The DIS-DTE gateway has been developed to keep track of all of the DIS entities in the simulation. It calculates if and when the radar being simulated would see the entities. Appropriate 'blips' are then generated by the gateway into the tracking system.

At this stage, there is no requirement for real radar data to be fed back into the virtual world, thus the DIS-DTE gateway is one-way. At this stage only Entity State Protocol Data Units (PDUs) (which describe entity position, velocity, acceleration, orientation, etc.) generated by the HiL simulators and other scenario generators are processed by the gateway.

A Phoenix display system based in the AOSC has successfully displayed entities generated from the HMAS Watson scenario generator [11], as well as those from a HiL flying desk.

The Phoenix display shows a plan view of the real world with radar plots decaying in brightness much like an older radar scope. Phoenix has the ability to provide the operator with entity track information (e.g. friend, foe, speed and heading) as correlated by a tracking computer. iii Integrated Services Digital Network iv A plot is an individual return from a radar, whereas a track is a higher-level abstraction that is produced by analysing successive plots that are correlated to the same entity.

The DIS-DTE gateway has provision for radar models so that the entity state information coming into the gateway can be filtered (according to maximum detection range or some more complex rule), or clutter/interference added to provide realistic looking data before being input to the Phoenix display.

3.5 Computer Generated Forces

In the initial VAE demonstrations, the AOSC will provide computer-generated entities using the Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) package STAGE and the AOD-developed BattleModel. The BattleModel is a more specialised CGF package, which can provide intelligent agents and is being further developed for the VAE project. There are several other scenario generators which can provide a source of input in the form of computer generated entities to the Phoenix displays, but at this stage only these two will be considered. This will provide guidance as to which capabilities of modern CGF systems will be appropriate for use in the mature VAE system. Aspects of BattleModel and STAGE will be discussed in sections 4 and 5.

3.6 Threat Station for the HiL

Where CGF packages do not provide sufficient fidelity, a cost-effective HiL architecture is being developed. This capability can be provided as a simple Threat Station or Flying Desk [12] comprising one or more PCs which provide simple control, instrumentation and out-the-window visualisation coupled with high-fidelity aircraft and weaponry behaviour to provide realistic but cost-effective threat capabilities. Better fidelity control, instrumentation and out-the-window displays can be added (at additional cost).

3.7 DIS or HLA?

At this stage, connectivity using the DIS protocols is sufficient for the purposes of demonstration and is all that is required for the initial phase of the project. DIS enables interoperability between different types and standards of simulators, but has problems with scalability. Exercises which generate a large amount of network traffic can end up overloading the network and/or its components, resulting in data being lost and leading to inaccuracies in the simulation.

The High Level Architecture (HLA) [13] may overcome the problems associated with scalability, in that it will allow each simulation to obtain and send only the required data. It is a more flexible architecture that allows live, HiL and constructive simulations to participate in the same exercise. However, to achieve this all simulations participating in the same exercise must have the same Federation Object Model (FOM) for interoperability. Since these are usually developed in isolation, interoperability may be compromised.

A migration path from DIS to HLA will be considered at a later stage. HLA applications will be demonstrated as part of the IDP.

4. BattleModel as a Stimulation and Simulation Engine

BattleModel is a constructive simulation environment supporting modules which model physical systems and human decision-making processes and has associated analysis features. It is being used to provide CGFs to stimulate and simulate aspects of the VAE. Through the development of prototypes, the feasibility of using CGFs to provide training utility in the VAE is being explored. It is intended that BattleModel will provide CGFs to stimulate the operational system used for ADCON training at Williamtown.

4.1 BattleModel

BattleModel was developed by AOD as a tool for use in Operational Analysis studies, initially in support of the AEW&C Acquisition Project. It is now being used for studies associated with many other projects and will be used in the AEW&C Support Facility as a tool for tactics and operational concept development. BattleModel has a modular architecture with well-defined interfaces to facilitate the integration of new models. Consequently it provides the means to support and execute models of physical systems as well as models of human decision-making processes. Extensive use is made of intelligent agents to model human operators of military systems and the tactics employed by those operators in military operations. A suite of Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) provides the means to define and run scenarios.

4.2 Battle Model Development for VAE

A number of aspects are being developed to enable Battle Model to provide CGFs for the VAE. A DIS interface is under development to enable BattleModel entities to interact with other DIS entities in the VAE. Intelligent agents are being employed to control the behaviours of the CGFs. High level control of the CGFs is also possible through a GUI which enables commands to be sent to the CGFs.

The DIS interface is being developed with sufficient capability to support the demonstration scenarios described later in this paper. At this stage the level of interaction between BattleModel CGFs and other DIS entities in the VAE is minimal so only the Entity State PDU will be supported in the first version of the interface. In later stages more complex interactions with other DIS entities may be required (e.g. missile firing and kills) so that other PDUs such as fire and detonate will need to be supported.

The GUI for controlling CGFs has been developed using the JAVA programming language and enables some basic commands to be issued to the CGFs. Essentially it is an interface to the radio communications model in BattleModel and enables a human operator to send “scramble”, “vector” and “return to base” commands to the CGFs. The intention of this interface is to provide the minimal level of control that would be required for trainee ADCONs to practice basic air intercept geometries. The planned demonstrations will require some minor enhancements

to this interface so that changes in speed and altitude can also be commanded.

The intelligent agents controlling the BattleModel entities respond to commands but also provide a high degree of autonomous behaviour. The agents are used to model pilots of the various simulated entities (fighter and strike aircraft for friendly and hostile forces) and they respond appropriately to commands issued through the GUI described above. Their autonomous behaviour includes flying in formation, engaging opposing force aircraft, and firing missiles in an attempt to destroy them. Currently this behaviour can only occur between the CGFs inside the BattleModel due to the limitations of its DIS interface. Future enhancements to the DIS interface (e.g. addition of fire and detonate PDUs) should remove this limitation.

4.3 Preliminary Demonstration of BattleModel CGFs

A demonstration of BattleModel CGFs (in December 1999) established an initial capability to provide CGFs. The DIS-DTE gateway described in section 3.4 was used so that CGFs generated by BattleModel appeared on the ADCON Phoenix display console as used at Williamtown.

The GUI allowed a human operator to act as an ADCON and scramble Blue fighters, vector them to intercept Orange aggressors and then send the Blue fighters home. Orange aggressors were fully autonomous, whereas Blue fighters exhibited semi-autonomous behaviour. Blue fighters responded to the high level directions from the human operator as well as exhibiting autonomous behaviour, particularly during engagements with Orange aggressors.

5. STAGE STAGE (Scenario Toolkit and Generation

Environment) is an example of a COTS software toolset for generating synthetic environments [14]. It has been used extensively in AOD for creating environments and generating entities to be used in those environments for a variety of experiments.

STAGE allows users to quickly prototype a simulation environment, which will enable the effectiveness of different configurations of a system to be tested with new or existing tactical doctrine. This can vary from procedural to team training, and can also be used for Human-Machine Interface validation. STAGE is extremely flexible in configuration, operation, and functionality. Users can interact with STAGE in real-time to change aspects of the simulation.

STAGE uses menus for easy entry of data and provides a powerful display capability which includes a dynamic link to the positioning of entities in the display. User-written scripts associated with individual platforms dictate the behaviour of each entity. User modules allow the user to extend the capabilities of STAGE by expanding the scripting mechanisms, replacing existing models and providing access to the internal data structure of STAGE.

STAGE is flexible and easy to use, but sometimes requires substantial effort in that fairly detailed data must be entered through the pull-down menu system. This includes all information about the type of entity (e.g. aircraft/sensor/missile, its position, heading, speed, waypoints, role in team (if any), actions to hostile maneouvres, weapons, etc. [15]). However, once these data are entered, minimal further attention is required.

STAGE will be used to provide another source of computer generated entities. Scripting of scenarios required for the demonstrations described below is straightforward.

6. Demonstrations Two demonstrations will occur as stage one of the

VAE. These were developed [16] to demonstrate that the integrated system is capable of creating and executing typical scenarios that would be required. The first is scheduled for March 2000 and the second for May 2000. These will demonstrate the basic characteristics of the system and establish the viability of its use.

The first will be relatively simple involving up to 4 aircraft and a ground controller. Monitoring of network and gateway traffic and scenario execution will occur to determine delays or inconsistencies in the real-time simulation. The consistency of correct receipt and display of entities on each of display systems (Phoenix, partial dome, BattleModel viewer, STAGE display) will be evaluated.

A second, more complex scenario, containing multiple CGFs (up to 50) will be conducted at a later stage. This may include the ability to add CGFs during execution.

6.1 Demonstration 1

The first demonstration involves 4 entities (3 CGFs and a HiL) interacting in the same environment. A medium speed aircraft (a CGF from BattleModel) is flying a straight-line course between two specified points, and an F/A-18 (HiL in AOSC dome) is climbing with a specified heading. The F/A-18, under ground control intercept (GCI) direction is given a vector to intercept the medium speed aircraft. Two F/A-18s (computer generated from STAGE) take off and begin climbing. The HiL then conducts 1 vs 2 intercepts against the two newly scrambled F/A-18s under GCI control. The entire exercise is planned to take 1.5 hours.

This scenario is aimed at demonstrating connectivity, correct radar operation, conversion and confirmation of DIS entities at the Phoenix display, two different CGF entity sources (BattleModel and STAGE) being used, and receipt at all nodes. This will prove that multi-player, multi-radar and dissimilar levels of simulation are achievable.

6.2 Demonstration 2

Demonstration two aims to test the effectiveness of the system under load. Each of the CGF source programs will produce a minimum of 25 entities in the

airspace. A GCI will control the F/A-18 in the partial dome. Several GCIs will control selected CGFs.

The systems will be monitored according to the criteria given in section 6.1 to determine how effectively the information is being passed to, and displayed on, the various display systems.

7. Concluding Remarks The VAE concept – embedded training systems for

the AADS employing simulation and stimulation of the core operational system – is, in a fully developed form, a very ambitious one. Although the technologies to implement a full VAE either exist or are close, the magnitude of the exercise is such that an iterative approach of feasibility demonstration and of requirements definition development is required.

This initial phase described here focuses on a limited area – ADCON training – where a currently identified problem exists. As the work proceeds, confidence is being gained that a solution for this will be provided, that significant steps towards understanding of the architectural requirements for the VAE are being made, and that experience from this phase will enable substantial progress towards requirements definition for the mature VAE (and its acceptance by high level decision makers).

At times, F/A-18 pilots and ADCONs must work together and an aspect of the current work is to explore areas of potential mutual value in part task training as could be achieved by pilots using HiL simulators interacting with controllers and CGFs for team training. The potential of cost effective PC based simulation is of particular interest here. The present F/A-18 training simulators are not suitable for such networking, although it is expected that the upgraded (AIR 5376 Phase 2) simulators will be. Ideally, the Distributed Mission Training concepts [17] being espoused in the US and other countries will also be taken up in Australia for fighter pilot team training: the synergy with VAE is obvious.

Following phases of the project will investigate extension of the scope of the VAE to include RAAF capabilities such as AIR5333 (Air Defence Ground Environment), JP 2030 (Air Command Support System), AEW&C, and JORN. This would include stimulation of the surveillance and control system by data from simulated space based sensors, intelligence and other sources all operating in this same virtual environment. Flight simulators and simulation facilities associated with the various weapons systems will be included. The iterative prototyping process with step at a time development is recommended for much of this project activity.

8. References 1. Wing Commander Jon Blacklock. The VAE:

Designing an Air Defence Combat Team Trainer. Presentation at SimTecT 98 Industry Day, 1998.

2. Virtual Air Environment Initial Development Phase. RAAF MIS 584-1. June 1999.

3. Headquarters Training Command, RAAF, Training Analysis Report, 1999.

4. The Virtual Air Environment: A Concept to Support Operational Training and Analysis, RAAF paper, 1998. (Australian Defence Department internal document).

5. DIS Vision: A Map to the Future of Distributed Simulation. Prepared by the DIS Steering Committee, Institute of Simulation and Training, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, U.S., 1994.

6. Interface Requirement Specification for the Interface Between the MV15000 and the Phoenix Display System Console. 3CRU Software Development Unit. 1996.

7. Ryan, P., Zalcman, L. and Fulton, J., (1999). Scalability of DIS Traffic using ModSAF. In: Proceedings of the Fourth International SimTecT Conference, Melbourne, Australia, pp 139-144, 1999.

8. Zalcman, L., Ryan, P., Perry, N., Fulton, J. and Mason, M. Key Issues in Running International Advanced Distributed Simulation Experiments: Bandwidth, Latency and Cost. The Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP) Technical Report TR-JSA-1-1999, 1999.

9. Ryan, P. and Morton, J. Network Traffic Prediction for Distributed Interactive Simulation Exercises. In: Proceedings of the Second International SimTecT Conference, Canberra, Australia, pp 191-196, 1997.

10. Zalcman, L., Fulton, J., Doman, J., Mason, M., Perry, N., Labbe, I. and Nourry, N. ModSAF Experiment on an International, ISDN Wide Area Network. In: Proceedings of the Third International SimTecT Conference, Adelaide, Australia, pp 93-98, 1998.

11. Curl, I. and Weisz A. Development of a PC Based Generic Radar Display Simulator. In: Proceedings of the Second International SimTecT Conference, Canberra, Australia, pp15-20, 1997.

12. Zalcman, L. and Ryan, P. Low Cost Testbed for Advanced Distributed Simulation. In: Proceedings of the Fifth International SimTecT Conference, Sydney, Australia, 2000.

13. High Level Architecture Homepage, http://hla.dmso.mil/, Defense Modelling and Simulation Office (27/01/2000).

14. http://www-europe.sgi.com/Products/appsdirectory.dir/Applications/Visualization_Simulation/ApplicationNumber1401.html (25/1/2000)

15. Sestito, S. and Doman, J. Description and worked example of STAGE. DSTO Report DSTO-GD-0092, 1996.

16. Prepared by Deputy Director Surveillance and Battlespace Management in Air Force Headquarters. WGCDR Jon Blacklock (VAE Sponsor), 1999.

17. General R.E. Hawley, Keynote Speech at I/ITSEC 1998.

9. Author Biographies Dr Helen Pongracic graduated from Monash University with a BSc(Hons) in 1983 and was awarded a PhD in Mathematics from Monash University in 1988. She held several academic positions working in the U.K. and at the University of Sydney working on aspects of numerical and theoretical astrophysics. Helen joined the Air Operations Division of DSTO in late 1995, where she has conducted research on a range of topics in the field of simulation. Mauro Iob graduated from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1985. He also has a Graduate Diploma in Digital Computer Engineering from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. In 1985 he joined the Aeronautical and Maritime Research Laboratory and has worked in the fields of simulation of aircraft, aircraft systems and aircraft operations. He is currently engaged in the development and application of modelling and simulation for Operations Analysis and virtual systems Dr Lucien Zalcman graduated from Melbourne University with a BSc (Hons) in 1973. He was awarded a Ph.D. in Experimental Physics from Melbourne University in 1980. In 1984, he joined DSTO as in Information Technology Officer. He is currently employed as a Senior Research Scientist in Air Operations Division specialising in the field of Advanced Distributed Simulation. Dr. Robin Miller read Mechanical Sciences at Cambridge University, graduating in 1968 and was awarded a PhD in Engineering from Cambridge in 1974. He joined DSTO as a Research Scientist in 1977 specialising in inertial navigation systems and applications. He is currently Head, Training and Systems in Air Operations Division. John Fulton graduated from La Trobe University with a double degree in B. Sc. (Computer)(Hons) and B. Eng. (Electronic)(Hons) in 1995. Since 1995 he has worked in the Air Operations Division of DSTO on real time simulation projects for the AOSC and wide area networking of DIS protocols. David Craven graduated from RMIT with a B. Eng in Digital Systems and Computer Engineering in 1988. He is currently working in the field of real-time simulation at the Air Operations Simulation Centre

Figure 1. The proposed linkage between the Air Operations Division in Melbourne (supplying HiL simulators and CGFs) and the Number 3 Control and Reporting Unit (3CRU) based at RAAF Base Williamtown