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160th SOAR Helo Training O ProjectorsCultural Training O Video Training

May 2014Volume 19, Issue 3

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Readiness Facilitator

Gen. John F. Campbell

Vice Chief of StaffU.S. Army Command Profile:

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U.S. Army

17

May 2014Volume 19, Issue 3military training technology

Departments Industry Interview2 editor’s PersPeCtive3 ProGram hiGhliGhts/PeoPle14 data PaCkets26 team orlando27 resourCe Center

JosePh swinskiChief Executive OfficerDisti

5ProteCtinG afGhanistan’s bordersOvercoming challenges in training Afghanistan’s border enforcement personnel requires demonstration and hands-on practice to achieve the needed effectiveness. U.S. personnel in Afghanistan are constantly improving their approach to this important training program.By RoSe noxon and John Shellnutt

11visual simulation The military is consistently replicating live events through simulation, and with advancements in technology, training in a secure environment is becoming a staple to preparing the warfighter for real-world operations.By eRin Flynn Jay

19flyinG in any environmentMilitary Training Technology had the chance to talk to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Training Battalion regarding training pilots to operate rotary aircraft in adverse weather conditions and varying environments and the challenges associated with such training.

21Cultural and lanGuaGe traininGOne set of critical lessons learned from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom involves the importance of cultural and language training for forces operating on a global stage.By Scott GouRley

28

euroPean traininG roundtableIndustry experts overseas discuss with Military Training Technology innovative methods of improving training and simulation in 2014.

Command Profile:asymmetriC warfare traininG CenterThe Army’s Asymmetric Warfare Training Center complex features training and range facilities that support the Asymmetric Warfare Group’s mission of rapid material and non-material solution development as well as adaptability and resiliency training.

9 24

Special Section

“As we continue

to draw down

and restructure

over the next

three to four

years, the

Army will have

readiness and

modernization

deficiencies.

Fiscal realities

have caused us

to implement

tiered

readiness

as a bridging

strategy.”

- Gen. John F.

Campbell

Gen. John F. Campbell

Vice Chief of StaffU.S. Army

As the drawdown in Afghanistan continues, the strategy for the U.S. military to train the warfighter will have to adapt. For the past decade, training has been focused on mountainous and desert regions, with signs written in Arabic and mosques dotting the training grounds.

For example, the Fort Irwin National Training Center in the middle of the Mojave Desert between Los Angeles and Las Vegas is specifically geared toward training for operations in Afghan villages. This form of full immer-sion training prepares soldiers for deployment to Afghanistan or Iraq with very realistic scenarios of what they are expected to encounter. This training center was designed from lessons learned from 10 years of operating in that environment.

In an Afghan village, soldiers may be asked to clear a building where combatants and civilians are mixed together. Don’t pull the trigger and you could be killed; pull the trigger at the wrong moment and a civilian could die.

“The towns and villages are the direct result of lessons learned from the battlefield in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Major General Ted Martin, the commander in charge of the center, recently told the media. “We need to learn to fight in an urban environment and also peacefully coexist.”

Units who have gone through the training center said it was very beneficial. “We can practice going in and out of buildings, in and out of rooms in these buildings ... it’s a great little training facility,” said Colonel Cameron Cantlon, commander, Army 3rd Cavalry Regiment, which is training at Fort Irwin before its final deployment to Afghanistan.

But where will the next conflict take our military? That’s the question that military leadership is facing today. The training center is a highly specific training installation designed for a very specific environment.

Martin said when the next conflict is known, the training center will adapt to the changes. “We have to be prepared for an uncertain future,” he said. “If we see a new enemy tactic, we seek to train it here. Would you think that a brigade combat team would have to worry about cyberwarfare? Yes. So we train now, and I never would have thought 10 years ago that we would do that.”

However, transforming a desert-specific Army training installation can be costly, and with budgets being slashed across the board, I wonder if future instal-lations such as this will have to be designed on a much broader scale. If you have any questions regarding Military Training Technology feel free to contact me at any time.

Brian O’SheaeditoR

Recognized Leader Covering All Aspects of Military Training Readiness

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www.MT2-kmi.com2 | MT2 19.3

First Task Order for Home Station Training Complex

A-T Solutions Inc. recently announced it has been awarded the Home Station Training Complex support task order under the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division (NSWC IHEODTD) contract. This is the first task order that has been awarded through the new multiple-seat $23.5 million contract, on which A-T Solutions won a position in February.

“A-T Solutions is extremely honored to be supporting the Naval Surface Warfare Center and Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) in the delivery of highly effective and relevant counter-IED training for our joint forces,” said Dennis Kelly, president and CEO of A-T Solutions. “Many of the required skills for this project are highly specialized and unique to the EOD community, and our extensive work and expertise within the combination of EOD, counterterrorism, intelligence and homeland security areas allow us to offer unparalleled capabilities in this area.”

Under the task order, A-T Solutions will provide support to NECC in counter-IED and IED defeat integration and force protection training. The mission of NSWC IHEODTD’s EOD Department is to use technology and intelligence to develop, deliver and provide life cycle support for explosive ordnance disposal information, procedures, tools and equipment to meet the needs of joint service operating forces and other customers worldwide.

Program highlightS Compiled by KMI Media Group staff

Brigadier General Christopher G. Cavoli, deputy commanding general (Operations), 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C., has been assigned to commanding general, Joint Multinational Training Command, U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army, Germany.

Intelligent Automation Inc. (IAI) recently announced that its board of directors has appointed Vikram Manikonda, Ph.d., as president and chief executive officer effective April 1, 2014. Manikonda is currently the

president of IAI and succeeds Joseph Schwartz, Ph.D., who had served as the company’s CEO since 1997. Schwartz has been appointed as the chairman of the board of directors.

Brigadier General Walter E. Piatt, commanding general, Joint Multinational Training Command, U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army, Germany, has been assigned to deputy commanding general/chief of staff, U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army.

Compiled by KMI Media Group staffPeoPle

British Army Orders Seven New Victrix Simulators

The Ministry of Defence has awarded Indra a contract to provide seven new Victrix shooting simulators that will be installed at various British Army barracks and bases. The systems, which will be delivered throughout the year, will be combined with actual training to help improve soldier preparedness.

The systems have been developed at Indra’s center of excellence in León and will join 15 other simulators that Indra delivered to the Army in previous years.

The simulators include the improvements that have been devel-oped for the Army in recent years, including the simulation of the new combat firearm, equipment consumption optimization and the addition of new exercises.

The Victrix system has an intelligent tactical environment that allows the virtual reproduction on a large screen of common situa-tions faced by forces involved in international missions. For example, it simulates advancing through a street in a hostile urban environment, establishing a control point in a city or a joint operation with forces from another country. Soldiers must learn to react properly, distinguishing situations that are dangerous from those that are not.

For optimal realism, the simulator allows soldiers to use their own physical weapon, adapting it with a laser and a compressed air system that reproduces the recoil effect. This means that soldiers can train with the same weapon they will use in actual operations, such as the H&K G36 assault rifle used by Spanish Armed Forces or other standard weapons.

The system also allows setting various agility and precision exercises, such as those used at a shooting range. The system’s benefits include the flexibility it offers instructors in terms of designing the exercises and determining the degree of difficulty. It also significantly improves soldier capabilities by allowing additional training hours.

Indra’s Victrix simulators will be implemented at the General Morillo Base in San Andrés de Figueirido (Pontevedra), the General Gabeiras Barracks in Ronda (Málaga), the Santa Bárbara Barracks in Murcia, the San Bernardo Barracks in Jaca (Huesca), the Puerto Rosario Barracks in Fuerteventura, the Hoya Fría Barracks in Tenerife, and the General Almirante Barracks de Valencia.

Contract in Support of KC-130J Awarded

Aviation Training Consulting LLC, is being awarded a $25 million contract to provide instructional services in support of the KC-130J aircraft for the government of Kuwait under the Foreign Military Sales program. Services include instruction on operating the KC-130J simulators and aircraft. Work will be performed at Kuwait City, Kuwait (90 percent) and Cherry Point, N.C. (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2017.

Troy Harter;[email protected]

Brig. Gen. Walter E. Piatt

Brig. Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli

www.MT2-kmi.com MT2 19.3 | 3

F-35 Training in High Gear at EglinSince the first F-35 Lightning II arrived

at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in 2011, the base has accomplished more than 4,100 training sorties and has ramped up to 45 aircraft. Now, the 33rd Fighter Wing has reached another major achievement—the qualification of 100 F-35 pilots and more than 1,000 maintainers.

A class of six pilots from Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 completed the sequence of F-35B academics and training flights on March 21, bringing the number of pilots qualified by the base to 100. These pilots join the 1,082 F-35 maintainers who are supporting operations, testing and training around the nation.

Also this week, F-35 pilots at Eglin began training for night flying operations. Pilots will focus on pattern work to master take-offs and landings at night. The curriculum also includes simulated weapons deployment using air-to-air and air-to-ground targeting.

“These pilots and maintainers are estab-lishing the initial cadre of trainers that will build a foundation for their respective service’s or partner nation’s fifth-generation air capabilities,” said U.S. Navy Captain Paul Haas, 33rd Fighter Wing vice commander. “We’re hitting our stride as a key training facility for the F-35 program.”

“In partnership with the services, our focus is ensuring that F-35 pilots and main-tainers are combat ready,” said Mary Ann Horter, vice president of F-35 sustainment support at Lockheed Martin. “To maximize the capabilities of this fifth-generation aircraft, the F-35 technology suite provides the range of training needed through an efficient mix of simulation and hands-on learning.”

To drive affordability, pilots train with full mission simulators that replicate all F-35 sensors and weapons employment and provide half of the initial qualification flights. Currently, pilots progress from the simu-lator to six training flights. The number of required simulator and live flights will increase with increased software capabilities.

The maintenance training program also maximizes simulation in the classroom where maintainers develop an in-depth understanding of the F-35 before they head to the flight line.

As the lead F-35 training location, Eglin Air Force Base has qualified pilots and main-tainers from the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, the U.K. and the Netherlands. The F-35 military and industry team is currently applying the lessons learned at the base’s Integrated Training Center to launch F-35 pilot training at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort and Luke Air Force Base in support of the services’ and international partners’ needs.

Training Programs and Systems

Contract Awarded

Crew Training International (CTI), an industry provider of training for elite teams, recently announced a new contract with the United States Navy and Marine Corps to revise and maintain curriculum in support of training programs and air combat training system (ACTS). This effort also provides training of the USN/USMC Fleet Replacement Squadron, ACTS, and marine aviation training system site training programs.

This training will be implemented in four military bases located in Virginia, North Carolina and California. In addition to supporting Navy and Marine Corps in the continental United States, CTI will also provide training to the Spanish Navy and Italian Navy.

“This contract represents our first win on the new contract vehicle we have in place with Naval Air Warfare Systems Training Systems Division, and we hope just the first of many more,” said Alan Mullen, president and CEO of CTI.

This contract began on March 1 and the one-year contract has three one-year extension options. Over the next three years, this contract is expected to generate over $7 million in revenue.

Matthew Black; [email protected]

Finnish Army Purchases Combat Training Centers

Saab Training and Simulation has received an order from the Finnish Defence Force on Combat Training Systems that will be supplied to regiments. The order also includes support for seven years starting in 2014. The value of the order amounts to approximately 360 million Swedish krona (approx-imately $55 million).

“The Finnish Defence Force has once again chosen Saab as its partner. The Finnish Army uses Saabs systems since more than 10 years and has always been a competent user. This order strengthens our position as one of the world’s leading suppliers of combat training centers,” said Henrik Höjer, vice president training and simula-tion, Saab.

Program highlightS Compiled by KMI Media Group staff


Overcoming challenges in training Afghanistan’s border en-forcement personnel requires demonstration and hands-on prac-tice to achieve the needed effectiveness. U.S. Customs and Bor-der Protection (CBP) Border Management Task Force (BMTF) in Afghanistan Force is constantly improving their approach to this important training program. Moving portions of the train-ing program to video modular training (VMT) meets the needs of the mission to build sustainable law enforcement operations. VMT products are now assisting the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA), specifically, the Afghan Customs Department (ACD), Afghan Border Police (ABP), and Afghan Cus-toms Police (ACP) to sustain a trained workforce.

The CBP/BMTF courses being delivered help border enforce-ment agencies in Afghanistan reduce contraband and narcotics smuggling into Afghanistan. As the Afghanistan government is building up their law enforcement training infrastructure, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) have trained more than 7,169 stu-dents in 54 customs and border related courses to establish a base-line on everything from basic administrative procedures through the use of technical inspection equipment.

The BMTF currently provides advice, training and leadership to GIRoA Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Interior, and especial-ly the ACD, ACP and ABP. This activity extends to border cross-ing point (BCP), airport, and inland customs depot authorities through the BMTF Mentors Program and includes advising and training in management, customs operations, border enforce-ment, compliance procedures, customs revenue collection and immigration inspection activities.

In 2007, ACD lacked the internal infrastructure and manage-ment skills to standardize and instruct Afghan customs agents. An ACP/ACD/ABP capability metrics assessment showed that there was a broad need for specific inspection training. A consistent approach to increasing the skill set was needed to save time in knowledge transfer; reduce costs of the skills transfer; and stan-dardize the processes and procedures nationwide. Literacy, as well as cultural and language barriers, also presented significant chal-lenges.

VMT increases classroom engagement and facilitates a direct transfer to training applications by developing understanding and competence throughout the training process—classroom, field training and exercises. VMTs have become a key component to the ongoing standardization program. Having instructors facili-tate classroom teaching using VMT ensures standardization of instruction throughout the entire training pipeline for ACD/ABP/ACP. VMTs have been produced for training courses in marksman-ship, analyzing documents, examining containers/commercial trailers/CT30 kit elements, targeting land borders, targeting/risk management, customs and border operations, and law enforce-ment techniques.

The training team was already teaching successful classroom and hands-on training courses to several Afghan ministries. Cul-tural tailoring and selection of the most appropriate training tasks to move to VMT were studied and priorities given to production and development. A key requirement for VMT course materials was to target and overcome the differing literacy, language and dialect challenges faced in the region.

Cultural considerations are built into the fabric of the VMT. Some of the cultural aspects the VMT team considered were the strong need for students to identify with the instructors. Students

SuStainable video training for afghaniStan’S cuStomS and border law enforcement.

by roSe noxon and John Shellnutt


also performed better when they knew that senior authority en-dorsed and valued the skill sets being taught. To address these cultural norms, VMTs have a senior official introduce the content and stress the importance of skills being taught to their countries safety and security. VMTs also show Afghans in agency appropriate uniforms executing the process being trained and demonstrating equipment use in field environments.

The cultural aspects and constraints were just the start of sev-eral aspects to consider when filming and producing VMT for Af-ghanistan. Pre-production, production and post-production each offer a unique set of challenges. VMT is also a force multiplier on the battlefield. As mobility throughout the country becomes more difficult and western contractors are reduced, the VMT enables the Afghans to sustain the program while reinforcing positive proce-dures and techniques as demonstrated in the videos.

vmt Pre-Production

Pre-production planning is the most important part of the VMT production process to stay on budget, on schedule and to produce the highest quality training possible. Making a training video in a foreign desert combat zone presents challenges that can only be overcome with detailed planning, instrumental relation-ships with local subject matter experts (SMEs), reliable interpre-tation and access to controlled areas. Every possible aspect of the production process is continually reviewed to reduce time needed filming in the field.

To successfully produce training videos in Afghanistan, video pre-production activities include:

• Complete storyboards of all major scenes listing cast, props, uniforms and other detailed notes about the scene. Generation of cast and prop lists and prop transportation requirements are baselined. Having SMEs on-hand during detailed storyboarding allow the training development team to identify exactly what needs to be filmed and at what level of detail.

• Conversational narration is portioned out to each scene. Training videos are being produced with three language tracks and with three separate fonts, one each for English, Pashtu and Dari. It takes a different amount of time to say or present the same phrases in different languages. This affects the length of time of each scene on screen. Planning for both the shortest and the longest times needed assists the post-production team and determines the scene time requirements during filming.

• B-roll requirements are also developed to accommodate the timing needed for all languages.

• Planning out when multiple camera angles will be needed in the script to add variety and keep learners engaged helps build out the equipment requirements for the filming.

• Relationships with local authorities are explored to identify site experts who will be available during video production. Site experts are tasked with on-site production scheduling, obtaining needed equipment, extras and props and ensuring the technical direction of the actors.

vmt Production

Transportation of filming equipment and crew, language and direction present a different set of challenges during the filming of the training segments. Very real threats from IEDs, ambush, and any number of other life-threatening dangers exist in a live com-bat zone. Safety of the filming crew is paramount and many of the team moving to the field to conduct the filming perform more than one role to keep the team as small as possible. Film crew that have served in Afghanistan and understand the security and safety proce-dures help keep the video production on schedule. Security for the film crew is provided for during transportation and filming.

The training development team found several means to keep the shoot on the shortest possible schedules:

TRAINING &SIMULATION

as real as it gets

MBT as well as IFV

Embedded training

Virtual and live training

Highly precise vehicle logic and dynamic

Use of NATO ballistic kernel for weapon simulation

| www.kmwsim.com |

Wegmann USA, Inc., Training & Simulationmailto: [email protected]

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co. KG, Training & Simulationmailto: [email protected]

Highly realistic vehicle simulations born from real vehicle experience:

• Filming equipment care and maintenance while in transport and production has to be considered. The evolution of filming technology and the high quality produced by today’s DSLR cameras make filming equipment more lightweight and mobile. Having as few equipment cases as possible helps reduce the time needed at security checkpoints and reduces the crew, vehicles and aircraft capacity needed to transport film equipment.

• With temperatures well over 100 degrees and constant dust and dirt issues, environmental effects on filming equipment require careful equipment selection and constant equipment maintenance. Equipment power sources and batteries also need to be considered and transported.

• Using local language assistants as actors dramatically reduces filming time. Language assistants understand and can take direction more quickly so that film scenes are shot in a minimal number of takes.

vmt PoSt-Production

The VMT takes shape during post-production. Narration and other sound considerations are dealt with during this final phase. The complexity of producing the same training instruction in three languages and keeping the instruction standard is the challenge of the editing team and can easily push the production schedule limits.

The training team has developed several means to keep the post-production schedule in check while increasing the quality of the fin-ished product:

• By having the narration recorded while in Afghanistan, the translations and dialect of the training material improves. Having translators and SMEs together during narration post-production meetings helps control content consistency. Narration is recorded in small files and tagged to the corresponding scene so as each language version is assembled with the appropriate narration and on-screen film segments.

• Background noises are filtered and reduced so that learners are not distracted from the lesson objectives. Afghan background music is used when appropriate to help the adoption of the video as an Afghan product produced for their country.

• On-screen text in each language is numbered and tagged to each scene. On-screen text in different languages takes up different screen space. Working out on-screen text footprints in advance helps post-production teams meet schedules.

• On-screen text animations of the text and b-roll of close-ups and alternate camera angles are added to clarify salient points and finish off the completed training video.

The primary key to the successful VMT production lies with the subject matter experts and their ability to ensure partner na-tion cultural aspects, detailed translation nuances and their dedi-cation to the success of the mission to train and supply sustain-able training materials.

imPact of vmt on the miSSion

The BMTF VMT program is increasing the effectiveness of the training to the classrooms of the ABP. BMTF mentors and ABP in-structors are using the training material in various training venues across Afghanistan. VMTs were recently used during the ABP mo-bile enforcement team training during spring 2013 in the Helmand Province. The encouraging introduction message from the ABP commanding officer, Lieutenant General Gul Nabi Ahmadzai, and the ACD director general, Bismillah Kamawi, inspired and promot-ed positive morale within both Afghan agencies. Afghan instructors received positive feedback from students when using VMTs. Having the VMT translated into Afghan native languages and tailored to cultural training needs of the Afghan agencies gave a sense of own-ership to the students and the instructors.

BMTF mentors also administered VMT to ABP, ACP, as well as ACD personnel. ABP and ACP leadership at the Torkham Gate

TRAINING &SIMULATION

as real as it gets

MBT as well as IFV

Embedded training

Virtual and live training

Highly precise vehicle logic and dynamic

Use of NATO ballistic kernel for weapon simulation

| www.kmwsim.com |

Wegmann USA, Inc., Training & Simulationmailto: [email protected]

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co. KG, Training & Simulationmailto: [email protected]

Highly realistic vehicle simulations born from real vehicle experience:

BCP stated, “Previous to receiving these VMTs we were unable to conduct routine weapons maintenance and inspections to all those that should have had that training. Now we are conducting this training using the VMT at appropriate intervals and stressing the importance of proper weapons maintenance throughout our forces.”

Another example of the far-reaching effect of the VMT is the use of the VMT on basic vehicle inspections. This VMT presents how to conduct thorough physical inspections on commercial vehicles in order to detect concealed goods. This training has reached ad-ditional ACD personnel not previously able to receive training at a remote location.

Training metrics and surveys show that Afghan students pre-fer the video instruction to the usual PowerPoint instruction they were using in the past. Course evaluations cited that language fac-tors and the VMT’s engaging presentation helped them gain the knowledge they needed from the course. Perhaps one of the most positive recorded effectiveness metrics of the VMT was measured at the ACP at Spin Boldak, which reported an increase in illicit seizures, particularly from commercial vehicles, by agents having received VMT.

The VMT has made a profound impact on the sustainable training mission and is now being planned to be part of the in-struction in several other Afghan law and border enforcement environments. Training in Afghanistan still mainly relies mainly on instructor led training (ILT); however, getting ILT to func-tion in Afghanistan, given security concerns, the low base of or-ganizational training capabilities, limited information technol-ogy resources and training facilities, and the dispersed locations of Afghan border agencies, presents tremendous challenges and

expense. BMTFs need a sustainable Afghan training solution focused on simple, computer-based modules without access to the Internet or instructors to provide basic and recurring training to Afghan personnel. The Afghan operating environment drove the selection of computer CD-based training, and BMTF developed the training to work in the CD model. The VMT training solution em-powers our Afghan partners to communicate consistent customs and search processes to staff at disparate locations. This economi-cal, low technology solution also provides resources that staff can use on their own to refresh training as needed. Additional VMT benefits for the Afghan border agencies include:

• Training is offered via the visual medium, proving content in a conversational manner, increasing the ease at which staff are exposed to content.

• The need for external training resources is reduced as the video-based training sessions can be managed in-house.

• The adoption of video-based training by the Afghans will dramatically reduce training costs as training can be accessed as needed reducing the amount of time a participant needs to be available for training. O

Rose Noxon, Ph.D., is a senior human capital architect at CACI and John Shellnutt is a senior program manager at CACI.

For more information, contact MT2 Editor Brian O’Shea at [email protected] or search our online archives

for related stories at www.mt2-kmi.com.

CACI Video modular training videographer Aaron Lewis captures footage of Border Police operations in Torkham, Afghanistan. [Photo courtesy of CACI]

An Afghan border policeman monitors traffic at the Wesh border crossing, Afghanistan. The mission of the ABP is to secure the borders of Afghanistan from infiltration, illegal entry of persons and the smuggling of contraband. [Photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force/by Tech Sgt. Francisco V. Govea II]


Bohemia interactive Simula-tions has made many important innovations in its software Virtual Battlespace 3 (VBS3) for the u.S. army.

performance is the key take-away. We have made important

strides in optimizing our game engine. VBS3 introduced a new multicast system that reduces bottlenecks on the server and increases engine performance. We’ve also made changes to the real-time editor that has resulted

in dramatic performance improve-ments—for example, saving large scenarios to disks happens 10 times faster now.

We’ll also soon deliver new fast-air capabilities in VBS3 to the army. We have been tackling the

in addition to launching new products, applicable to both our military and commercial custom-ers, agustaWestland is continuous-ly upgrading our current product line to meet the needs of our op-erators and integrate the latest in

technology into our helicopters and training solutions. agustaWestland is unique in that it invests over 10 percent of its revenue in research and development, adding up to nearly $600 million last year alone.

pertaining to the u.S. military, the latest evolution of our aW119 light-single engine helicopter, the AW119Kx, provides the optimal solution from a price and perfor-mance standpoint for primary flight training of military aviators.

The AW119Kx features a state-of-the-art Garmin G1000 digital

glass cockpit that allows critical flight information to be shown on two large multi-function displays in real time, ensuring the highest levels of safety and ultimate situ-ational awareness. as we remain consistently mindful of all safety considerations, the AW119Kx also features redundant systems, en-suring that training is conducted according to the strictest of safety standards.

a reduction in u.S. defense budgets means that efficiency must be emphasized in all aspects

of training. The AW119Kx’s com-bination of low operating costs, strong performance characteris-tics, advanced capabilities, supe-rior avionics upgrades and reduced maintenance requirements would actually allow training squadrons to conduct the same levels of training with fewer aircraft.

innovations and upgrades such as those made to the AW119Kx will allow training to be conducted safely and efficiently and will im-prove the effectiveness of real-time flight training for future aviators.

induStry leaderS Share their innovationS of 2014.

Military Training Technology reached out to European industry leaders in the field of training and simulation to learn about the latest innovations to be offered to the U.S. military in 2014. MT2 asked the following question:

robert LAbeLLeceo agustaWestland north america

Pete morrisonco-ceoBohemia interactive [email protected]

What are your most recent innovations and how are they improving training and simulation for the U.S. military?

Special Section


For more information, contact MT2 Editor Brian O’Shea

at [email protected] or search our online archivesfor related

stories at www.mt2-kmi.com.

problem of how to maintain run-time performance while supplying enough environmental fidelity—a common problem faced by the simulation industry. to solve this challenge, we are completing a real-time object aggregation sys-tem that brings more performance when viewing complex urban environments from the air. this object aggregation technology al-lows individual scenery models (trees and buildings) to be grouped together into an aggregated model in real time, which will require far fewer draw calls to the graphics

card. this is already proving to be a huge leap forward for rendering performance. it will allow much greater view distances and higher density of scenery objects than previously possible.

We’ve also made major strides in terrain development. VBS3 now supports massive terrains thou-sands of square kilometers in size, and lets users create and popu-late terrains much faster. one of the innovations that enables this faster performance is biotopes, arrangements of landscape fea-tures that can be applied to any

terrain in real time. Biotopes allow developers to quickly define veg-etation and other objects that will populate a terrain. VBS3 also includes support for procedural generation of realistic snow. and VBS3 can now page in road net-works, which reduces the mem-ory load.

Another exciting innovation we introduced to enhance im-mersion is a plug-in for VBS3 that produces an individualized avatar modeled on key performance at-tributes of the soldier who oper-ates the avatar during training.

the avatar plug-in gives users more realistic player entities, with corresponding strengths and limitations. Right now this is only available for the army, but we are considering productizing it.

VBS3 has been rigorously tested and accepted by the army. and just a few days after the army announced it was available, they had received 17,000 license re-quests from its units. that kind of demand is very encouraging to us and we’re excited to share with customers these improvements to performance.

With continuously evolving technology, the training and simu-lation industry has been able to benefit with some of the most realistic experiences in training that have ever been produced. it is widely known that the equip-ment the u.S. military has is only a fraction of what makes it the best in the world. it is the avail-ability of the most realistic train-ing that makes our warfighters able to use that equipment to its fullest extent. This constant surge in technology has allowed Saab defense and Security, train-ing and Simulation division, to grow with other industry leaders with some very unique innova-tions.

the ground war is fundamen-tally where we face down our enemies, and Saab defense and

Security has been able to make major strides in our design and interoperability. our personal de-tector devices (Manworn MileS) have been outfitted with a slim-mer design that allows for less intrusion to the warriors wear-ing them while still retaining the functionality you expect from Saab equipment, with pinpoint accuracy and comprehensive af-ter action review (aaR) technol-ogy.

With a focus on medical at-tention on the battlefield, we have developed training for first re-sponders, medics and physician assistants with full diagnostic abilities that tap into a wounded warrior man-worn system through a handheld computer and, based off the injury, formulate a series of questions that, through corrective actions, keep that warrior alive.

With a full immersive envi-ronment, we have allowed the players to interact not only with each other but with buildings as well, allowing vehicles and personnel to fire at other play-ers inside of buildings. Based on

ballistics, the players in buildings are no longer able to “hide” from the laser, which more accurately simulates the battlefield. We have also re-designed our grenade packages to not only more ac-curately simulate a frag grenade but have developed a simulated stun grenade, providing a more comprehensive training ability in an urban environment.

This entire exercise can be controlled and viewed from a central location with instrument-ed training. With our portable sys-tems (Manpack and recently re-leased “Super Manpack”) one can control the environment and have comprehensive aaRs at a com-pany (or below) level anywhere in the world that they desire to train; all they have to do is take it with them in their carry-on.

homestation instrumentation is a key focus to the u.S. army, which allows immersive training at home stations that would nor-mally only available at one of the major training centers. through instrumented range systems homestations are now able to

take their training stock of MileS gear and have them communicate with HITS Exercise Controller over an expansive 20-by-20-kilometer training area.

continuous improvement in technology is key to the u.S. military staying ahead of its ad-versaries. no longer can live, virtual and constructive training be segregated. training technol-ogy has to now move toward joining systems into larger train-ing architecture. companies like Saab defense and Security are doing a good job of embracing new technology and employing it in the training systems. this pursuit of excellence provides our warfighters with the edge they need to fight and win. Battles may be won on the battlefield, but campaigns are won in training. O

christoPher DunsonBusiness development ManagerSaab defense and Security, training and [email protected]

Special Section


The military is consistently replicating live events through simulation, and with advancements in technology, training in a safe environment is becoming a staple to preparing the warfighter for real-world operations.

Coast Guard’s Aviation Training Center (ATC) provides initial and recurrent training for all Coast Guard pilots. This covers train-ing pilots fresh out of flight school and seasoned pilots transitioning to a new airframe, as well as refresher and upgrade training, said Lieutenant Commander Dave Hunter, HC-144A instructor pilot. The primary focus is on emergency procedures and instrument flight procedures. However, there is a theme that changes from year to year; for example, cold weather ops or high altitude training.

Currently in Mobile, Ala., there are simulators for the MH-60, MH-65, HU-25 and an aircrew weapons trainer.

“Right now we are in the middle of acquiring a Level D equiva-lent simulator for the HC-144,” said Hunter. “This should allow 90 percent of the initial pilot training events to be conducted in the simulator and all of the annual recurrent training. With the recent announcement that the Coast Guard will receive C-27J Spartans from the U.S. Air Force, in the next three to five years we are looking to acquire a simula-tor to conduct training in that aircraft as well.”

What simulator training shortfalls and gaps does ATC need industry’s help to address? Hunter said this answer depends on the age of the simulator and the limitations of the technology when it was initially ac-quired.

“For example, the aerodynamic modeling for one of our helicopters is being updated with a more so-phisticated and accurate model,” he said. “Accurately

matching the flight and aircraft system performance provides a solid foundation for the visual system and motion effects to be added to. We have legacy simulators with old display systems that look similar to individual TV screens for each window instead of a dome like is used for IMAX (Image MAXimum). These visual systems make it dif-ficult to impossible to look out the opposite side windows and can make some people feel ill.”

Another gap is the ability to have one pilot using night vision goggles while the other is not and to see the environment as it would look in real life, said Hunter. This feature is being provided in the new HC-144 simulator and will enhance the realism needed for full immersion training.

delivering true-to-life viSual diSPlayS

Christie’s most popular projectors for military simulation are the Christie Matrix Series of DLP (digital light processing) projec-tors, which are designed for complex blended arrays, where color

matching and uniformity are key and clarity of fast moving content is critical.

“The projectors are all built on the same stable, long-life platform and employ two alternative illumi-nation technologies: arc-lamps and solid-state illumi-nation. They include: the Christie Matrix StIM, the first DLP simulation projector to provide indepen-dent control over both the visible and infrared spec-trum and real-time balancing of color and brightness levels; the Christie Matrix StIM WQ, which provides higher levels of resolution and brightness along with advanced smear reduction; the Christie Matrix

new Simulator enhanceS realiSm needed for full immerSion training.

Lt. cmdr. Dave hunter

by erin flynn Jay, mt2 correSPondent


SIM and Christie SIM WQ, which were designed for overall reduced sustainment costs and offer a fully ruggedized chassis for motion platform use; and the Christie Matrix WU7K-J, a compact lamp-based pro-jector that provides the highest 3-chip-DLP perfor-mance on the market,” said Dave Kanahele, director, Simulation Solutions at Christie. “All of our Matrix projectors provide maximum dynamic image quality with 120Hz support along with capabilities to warp and blend multi-channel arrays.”

For high-performance military simulation en-vironments, Kanahele said, the key challenge is de-livering true-to-life visual displays that accurately, consistently and safely replicate situations that can’t be repeatedly performed in the real world, allowing trainees to practice routines and tasks in a secure en-vironment.

“To achieve this, simulators today demand higher pixel densities over larger areas than can be provided by any single fixed projector, leading to a need for highly synchronized projector arrays,” he said. “Aero Simulation’s HC-144A operational flight trainer (OFT) for the Coast Guard’s ATC, for example, uses nine Christie Matrix StIM WQ WQXGA-resolution 1-chip DLP solid state, LED (light emitting diode)-based projectors, helping it to achieve a visual display that is closer to real life.”

As technologies change, the need for lower cost, off-the-shelf simulation systems with higher resolution, higher brightness and higher frame rates will continue to grow.

“As well, the increased adaption of solid-state illumination in simulation projection systems is paving the way for enhance-ments in night vision training, which has become an increas-ingly critical part of military and aerospace simulation training. Christie simulation projectors are geared to address these current trends, while also being versatile and scalable to better accommo-date future training needs,” Kanahele added.

military Simulation training facing threatS

Digital Projection provides a wide variety of projectors to the U.S. military for its training and simulation needs. From standard auditorium pro-jectors to specialized simulation projectors for for-ward observer trainers and advanced flight trainers, its products run the gamut from bright lamp-based projectors to specialized high resolution LED+IR (infrared) projectors.

“With sequestration, the military is facing tight-er budgets for acquisition and being questioned on

if certain training program should be considered or canceled,” said Phil Laney, Digital Projection Inc.’s director of simulation and visualization. “If one couples sequestration with the recent BRAC [base realignment and closure] of existing bases and the closure of their associated training ranges, then one finds that military simulation training is facing mul-tiple threats to their traditional methods of train-ing.”

Because of its cost effectiveness and with the reduced access or elimination of training ranges, virtual simulation training has become more im-portant as the simulators can be linked in groups,

across domains to other simulator types, or even tied together with live training forces.

“Since virtual simulation training typically involves projec-tor-based displays, companies like Digital Projection with cost-effective simulation specific projectors can help the military meet training needs,” added Laney. “Another side effect of se-questration is reduced budgets for maintenance of training sys-tems, meaning that the military is looking for ways to reduce maintenance costs for their trainers. Digital Projection offers its cost savings Lifetime Illumination Projector products with il-lumination systems that provide 20,000 to 60,000 hours of il-lumination life. When these products are in a multi-projector display system, they not only save costs by not having to pur-chase lamps, but their inherent stability means less hands-on maintenance time, reducing maintenance costs and down time. Lifetime Illumination Projectors also run on less power and emit less heat, saving on HVAC and electrical costs.”

The future for virtual military training will continue its trend of wanting more resolution, less maintenance and reduced costs, said Laney. Digital Projection follows those trends and has prod-ucts that balance high performance and costs while continuing to innovate its Lifetime Illumination projectors, introducing bright-er LED projectors like its 2,000-lumen 3-chip DLP Titan and its 10,000-lumen HIGHlite Laser.

led driven ProJectorS in demand

Barco has an extensive portfolio of simulator projectors available and provides a wide variety of them to the U.S. military market, such as their 1- and 3-chip DLP (lamp and LED based) products, as well as LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon) based solutions. Most projectors are offered in quantum extended graphics array, wide ultra extended graphics array and/or wide quad extended graphics array resolutions. Sony’s SRX-T615 projector. [Photo courtesy of Sony]

Dave Kanahele

[email protected]

Phil Laney

[email protected]


“Our SIM10 (LCoS) offers the highest resolution (10 million pixels) and dynamic contrast ratio available for applications such as fast jet training, while our F22 (DLP) is the projector of choice for firearms simulators such as the U.S. Army engagement skills trainer and the U.S. Marine Corps indoor simulated marksman-ship trainer,” said Mark Saturno, vice president, Worldwide Sales Training and Simulation. Their newest product, the FS-35IR, is currently used on the new advanced joint terminal attack train-ing system being deployed by the Air National Guard.

As with many types of technology, the demand is continuous for ‘smaller, better, cheaper’ products, and the projector market is no different.

“Additionally, total cost of ownership is foremost on all mili-tary users’ objectives when procuring or upgrading training simulators. Again, Barco answers the call with the widest array of simulation projectors that are continually evolv-ing to optimize performance while lowering opera-tional expenses,” said Saturno. “A great example of this is the latest LED technology being deployed in our F3X series platforms in order to provide solid state capability and eliminate the need to procure and change lamps.”

The future is pointing toward solid state illu-minated projectors for as many training applica-tions as possible. However, Saturno said it will take some time for the simulation community to fully embrace a technology that is in its infancy, and still needs to prove it can satisfy very stringent require-ments related to performance, cost, sustainability, size and safety. In the interim, efficient lamp- and LED-driven projectors will continue to be in high demand.

higher reSolution

Sony currently sells virtually every projector they make to the military. Many are used in meet-ing rooms and classrooms similar to general cor-porate and education applications, as well has more demanding and advanced applications including vi-sualization, simulation and training.

The challenges for the military arena involve very demanding specs and performance features that typically are not needed in traditional markets, said Sander Phipps, senior product manager, Sony Professional Solutions of America. Military procure-ment cycles pose special challenges with product development and forecasting. Future programs are under constantly changing schedules and funding approvals.

“Going forward, higher resolution like 4K and alternative light source projectors are the real hot topics for military applications. And of course cost/performance,” said Phipps.

Sony’s SXRD Series 4K projectors provide 4096 by 2160 resolution and have an aperture ratio of 92 percent for immersive and realistic imaging.

“The thinner liquid crystal panel used in the SXRD imaging chip allows for incredibly clean motion ren-dering of fast-moving images. The SRX-T615 model combines the versatility, performance and image quality needed to create enhanced realism and an op-timal viewing experience in today’s visualization and simulation applications,” said Phipps. “It delivers 4K resolution with a high brightness of 18,000 lumens and an industry-leading contrast ratio of 12,000:1, a key feature for the visual simulation market. The 50/60P signal compatibility is ideal for display-

ing moving graphics smoothly.” Another key feature for the military market is the projector’s

ability to edge blend native 4K content, concluded Phipps. “The SRX-T615 projector uses six HPM lamps in individual

cartridges to make lamp replacement easier and safer, and the pro-jector also provides a longer lamp-exchange cycle,” he said. “The VPL-GT100 4K ultra-high resolution projector has a small foot-print for flexible installation, and is based on a new laser phosphor illumination technology with 2,000 lumens and a dual display port input for 4096-by-2160 resolution at 60 frames per second. Sony’s professional 4K projector line also includes the SRX-T420, SRX-T110 and SRX-T105 models. O

mark saturno

[email protected]

sander Phipps

[email protected]


for related stories at www.mt2-kmi.com.Christie Matrix StIM WQ DLP LED-illuminated projectors used in Coast Guard’s HC-144A operation flight trainer. [Photo courtesy of Aero Simulation Inc.]

Barco’s SIM includes ultra-high resolution, a dynamic contrast range of up to 10 million to one, and a brightness of up to 6,000 lumens. [Photo courtesy of Barco]


Data PacKetS

Virtual Staff Training Applications

Engineering & Computer Simulations (ECS) recently announced their new product line of virtual staff trainers (VST). This product line offers Web-based, tailorable virtual staff training that includes engaging scenarios to enhance critical thinking and training within any market sector (entertainment, health care, transportation, energy, education, etc.). Within this new product line designation, ECS has architected a solution that relies on reuse of common core components so clients can select those capabilities relevant to their training and exercise needs. At the same time, the reuse allows clients to obtain the solution at a greatly reduced price versus a “build from scratch” approach.

Within the VST product line, ECS has developed and delivered the following applications:

• Emergency management staff training (EMST): Based on National Incident Management System standards, EMST is a Web-based solution used for a variety of emergency and crisis response training in sectors that include National Guard domestic response, state and local emergency management.

• Crisis response simulation (CRS): Used to assess the knowledge, skills and abilities of individuals, teams or entire organizations related to critical thinking during the complexities of a crisis, CRS can be directed at the full spectrum of an organization’s employees, including the executive leadership. CRS was designed for use by all facets of the energy industry.

• Health care administration readiness trainer (HART): Aimed at hospital and elder care centers, HART enables personnel to perform risk assessment and mitigation via a number of scenarios. HART enhances preparedness for the myriad disasters that medical facilities may face.

• Federal acquisition accelerated staff trainer: Using a 3-D office workplace to create an engaging environment where acquisition specialists work through hard and soft tasks associated with their procurement duties, FAAST reinforces procedural and ethical issues associated with federal procurements.

• Pediatric exercise training system (PETS): Developed to immerse health care personnel in exercises related to pediatric sepsis, a leading killer of infants and children, PETS scenarios deal with recognizing symptoms in addition to communicating vital information.

• Cruise Simulation (CSIM): Designed for the cruise industry, CSIM is a role-based staff training simulation that focuses on scenarios including a missing person(s) search exercise. CSIM helps build decision-making skills and focuses on crew communications within a web-based framework.

• Transportation Emergency Response Application (TERA): In support of the Transportation Research Board, TERA provides interactive training and exercises for transit agency command-level decision makers.

Waymon Armstrong, ECS president, stated ,“ECS has developed a product line with a common core of adaptable features. It is flexible and affordable, and is applicable to a breadth of applications in both government and commercial markets. The product line architecture assures that enhancements to the core platform will continue to evolve the VST in order to maintain its relevance to organizations. Together with our library of already existing scenarios, VST enables clients to leverage millions of dollars of previous investments.”

Joe O’Connell;[email protected]

New Terrain for Game EngineCalytrix Technologies and TerraSim Inc. recently announced the

availability of a new terrain for the Unity game engine, as an addition to its set of free, correlated terrain databases for distributed simula-tions. This expanded offering of terrain databases represents TerraSim and Calytrix’s continued dedication to supporting the largest number of third-party runtimes for the modeling, simulation and training industry.

TerraSim’s Unity plug-in pushes the bounds of how 3-D environ-ments can be used in the Unity game engine for modeling and simula-tion. This new TerraTools optional plug-in provides customers with the ability to directly import complex geospatial databases into the Unity runtime. It also enables support for coordinate system information and large area environments within the Unity game engine.

Calytrix has taken advantage of these new features to provide streamlined Unity support in its LVC (live, virtual and constructive) Game product for Unity, a software developer’s kit (SDK) that enables Unity-based applications to participate in distributed environments based on distributed interactive simulation or high level architecture networking.

To demonstrate both the level of correlation and fidelity, TerraSim and Calytrix are offering the Unity export for “sample desert village” as one of a set of 14 correlated runtime formats available by request on Calytrix’s website. Using LVC Game for Unity with “sample desert village,” Unity developers can build and test applications that integrate into distributed LVC environments.

The “sample desert village” set of terrain databases were gener-ated by TerraTools from geospatial source data, including orthophoto imagery, digital elevation data, attributed vector data and 3-D models. TerraTools creates a common terrain representation and exports the correlated result to each runtime format in the set. The terrain data-bases are ready for testing in LVC distributed simulations, such as those linked together by Calytrix’s LVC Game interconnectivity software.

The Unity “sample desert village” terrain is 5 kilometers by 5 kilometers, feature-rich terrain, suitable for supporting rigorous distributed simulation tests for database content and cross runtime correlation. “Sample desert village” contains a variety of complex features, such as parametrically generated buildings with interiors, walled compounds, utility lines, automatically placed 3-D models, vegetation of various types, and paved and unpaved roads.

Kate Cummings;[email protected]


Compiled by KMI Media Group staff

Royal Norwegian Navy to Upgrade Naval Simulator

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has signed a contract with the Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization (NDLO) for upgrade of the Royal Norwegian Navy’s (RNoN) Proteus simulator infrastructure delivered by Kongsberg.

The contract scope includes infrastructure upgrades and migration to a common Proteus simulation core for all the RNoN’s Kongsberg delivered simulators, new visual image genera-tion, a generic high-level architecture evolved

interface enabling further simulator participa-tion in joint collaborative exercises and a new Proteus map centric instructor station.

The contract has a value of 49 million Norwegian krones (approximately $8.2 million) and will be delivered to the RNoN training establishment KNM Tordenskjold at Haakonsvern naval base in 2016.

“This contract is the result of Kongsberg’s long and proven relationship with RNoN.

NDLO’s decision to further upgrade and improve RNON’s Proteus based simulator infrastructure strengthens our position as supplier of simulator systems, and in this context this is a very important reference contract for Kongsberg,” said Executive Vice President Leiv Inge Steig of Kongsberg Defence Systems.

Morten Kolve;[email protected]

Mobile Helicopter-Simulator for OperationsFor pilot screenings, tactical training or simulator exercises

before real operations directly in the assigned country, Electronic System and Logistics Group (ESG) developed a portable helicopter simulator. Twenty-one Omnishapes form a configurable screen around a simulator cockpit. The flexible system can be adjusted according to different helicopter models, and through its compact dimensions the assembled simulator can also be transported in freight containers in its entirety.

Twenty-one eyevis Omnishapes rear projection cubes, a simulator cockpit with pilot seat, an instrument panel on touchscreen basis and control elements (cyclic, collective, pedals) including force feedback, as well as an instructor station, is everything the portable ESG simu-lator setup needs for authentic helicopter simulations. Thereby, the simulator can be configured to resemble different helicopter models in their dynamic behavior and the respective systems. Thus the switch between light and medium transport helicopter, or a combat helicopter including simulated weapon systems, for instance, is possible.

The centerpiece of the technology is the simulation computer on which different ESG software modules process flight dynamics and system simulation, present the respective cockpit instruments on the touchscreen of the instrument panel and provide the instructor station with access to different tactical scenarios. Through the instructor station, a technician is able to control and monitor the simulation, put in failures of helicopter systems (e.g., hydraulics) and choose different mission areas with predefined tactical situations. Different landscapes with regions from Germany, Asia, Africa and Hawaii can be displayed in different seasons and daytimes.

In this way, the simulator can be used for pilot screenings. Through the networkability with other simulators, the system is furthermore suitable for tactical exercises like in military training. “Further areas of application result from the use of Omnishapes by eyevis. Despite their comparably large rear projection surface, the compact modules allow for the system to be operated in mobile containers in order to verify, practice or review real missions prior to their execution,” explained Michael Remaklus, project director at ESG. Due to the robust and compact design of the Omnishapes the transport of the assembled system is possible without problems.

For the external view of the simulated landscape, three image gener-ators provide a Genlock synchronized image for the 21 Omnishapes. The Omnishapes allow for a high-definition homogenous image. They are arranged as a concavely shaped video wall around the simu-lator cockpit, guaranteeing an even viewing distance to the entire screen area. Through the image processing system integrated in each Omnishape, external processing is unnecessary for image presentation. This facilitates transportation and installation of the simulators. The automatic color/brightness correction of the Omnishapes additionally guarantees permanently stable and consistent image representation throughout all modules. The rear projection also provides good color and contrast values for bright ambient light conditions. The zero-bezel-technology of the Omnishapes allows for a continuous image which improves the simulation effect without disturbing bezels. Due to the LED rear illumination, continuous operation of the simulator is also possible; the high durability of the LEDs of up to 60,000 hours ensures low operation costs.

Christoph Pfaeffle;[email protected]


Mission Ready. Trained by CACI.

www.caci.com

A Fortune World’s Most Admired Company

© CACI 2014 A362_1404

I N F O R M AT I O N D E P L O Y E D . S O L U T I O N S A D VA N C E D . M I S S I O N S A C C O M P L I S H E D .

Over the past 50 years, we have delivered thousands of training solutions

to the U.S. Department of Defense and military services. Our enterprise

training, simulation, and education solutions improve performance

and increase productivity while meeting DoD requirements for mission

readiness and effectiveness.

In everything we do, we share the principles of our military customers.

Ethics, integrity, and the character to always do the right thing – these

principles guide CACI as we find innovative solutions, and provide

distinction and excellence. Only in this way can we fully meet our

commitment to the nation and to our customers.

Across the government and around the globe, CACI’s training solutions make mission-critical performance a reality.

For more information about CACI’s training solutions,

email [email protected] or visit www.caci.com/training.

The son of a U.S. Air Force senior master sergeant, General John F. Campbell grew up on military bases around the world be-fore attending the United States Military Academy at West Point. He graduated in 1979 with a commission in the infantry. During more than 34 years of service, he has commanded units at every echelon from platoon to division, with duty in Germany, Haiti, Iraq, Afghanistan and the United States. After his first assignment with the U.S. Army Europe, Campbell was assigned to Fort Bragg, N.C., where he commanded a Special Forces operational detach-ment alpha in the 5th Special Forces Group and an infantry com-pany in the 82nd Airborne Division.

Returning to Fort Bragg, he served as the aide-de-camp to the commanding general, XVIII Airborne Corps, and deployed in sup-port of Operation Uphold Democracy. He later commanded 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division (Light), and then 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division and led the brigade during Operation Enduring Freedom.

He has served as the commanding general, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky., and led the division as Combined Joint Task Force 101 during Operation Enduring Freedom. Most recently, Campbell was the deputy chief of staff, G-3/5/7, Headquarters, Department of the Army.

Other significant assignments include professor of Military Science University of California, Davis; executive officer to the 35th chief of staff of the Army; deputy commanding general (Ma-neuver), 1st Cavalry Division and Multinational Division Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom; and deputy director for Regional Operations, J-3, The Joint Staff.

Campbell holds a Bachelor of Science degree from West Point and a master’s degree in public administration from Golden Gate University. He is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College and the Army War College.

Campbell’s awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, two Legions of Merit, three Bronze Star Medals, two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, six Meritorious Service Medals, the Air Medal, the Joint Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army

Achievement Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Com-bat Action Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Pathfinder Badge, the Ranger Tab, and the Special Forces Tab.

Today, the Army remains globally engaged with more than 66,000 soldiers deployed, including about 32,000 in Afghanistan, and about 85,000 forward-stationed in over 150 different coun-tries. I’d like to start by thanking Congress for passing the fiscal year 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act. This measure provides the Army some relief from previous defense spending caps, and gives us predictability in fiscal year 2014 and fiscal year 2015.

While the restoration of some funding in fiscal year 2014 helps the Army restore readiness, it is not sufficient to fully eliminate the void in core capabilities created over the past decade of coun-terinsurgency operations, and made greater by sequestration. The current level of fiscal year 2015 funding will allow the Army to sus-tain the readiness levels achieved in fiscal year 2014, but will only generate the minimum readiness required to meet the Defense Strategic Guidance. The anticipated sequestration reductions in fiscal year 2016 and beyond severely degrade manning, readiness and modernization efforts, and will not allow us to execute the Defense Strategic Guidance.

To really understand our current and future readiness, I need to quickly provide context with what happened in fiscal year 2013.

General John F. CampbellVice Chief of Staff

U.S. Army

Mission Ready. Trained by CACI.

www.caci.com

A Fortune World’s Most Admired Company

© CACI 2014 A362_1404

I N F O R M AT I O N D E P L O Y E D . S O L U T I O N S A D VA N C E D . M I S S I O N S A C C O M P L I S H E D .

Over the past 50 years, we have delivered thousands of training solutions

to the U.S. Department of Defense and military services. Our enterprise

training, simulation, and education solutions improve performance

and increase productivity while meeting DoD requirements for mission

readiness and effectiveness.

In everything we do, we share the principles of our military customers.

Ethics, integrity, and the character to always do the right thing – these

principles guide CACI as we find innovative solutions, and provide

distinction and excellence. Only in this way can we fully meet our

commitment to the nation and to our customers.

Across the government and around the globe, CACI’s training solutions make mission-critical performance a reality.

For more information about CACI’s training solutions,

email [email protected] or visit www.caci.com/training.


Readiness FacilitatorMaintaining Readiness in Today’s Strained Budget Environment

Q&AQ&A

And due to fiscal year 2013 BCA spending caps, the Army canceled seven Combat Training Center rota-tions and significantly reduced home-station train-ing, negatively impacting the readiness and leader development of over two divisions worth of sol-diers. Additionally, 12 years of conflict have result-ed in extensive backlog in our leadership education and training programs due to reductions of school-house capacity. Those lost opportunities only cre-ated a gap all the way from 2004 to 2011, because we are focused exclusively on counterinsurgency. In the event of a crisis, we’ll deploy these units at a significantly lower readiness level, but our sol-diers are adaptive and agile, and, over time, they will accomplish their mission. But, their success will come with a greater cost of higher casualties.

Further results of sequestration in fiscal year 2013 include the deferment of approximately $716 million of equipment reset into fiscal year 2014 and fiscal year 2015. Sequestration also postponed the reset of nearly 700 vehicles, almost 2,000 weapons, and over 10,000 pieces of communication equip-ment, Army pre-positioned stocks, and numerous soldier equipment and clothing items. The Army was forced to cut routine maintenance for non-deployed units, thereby creating an additional $73.5 million in deferred main-tenance costs that carried over to fiscal year 2014. All together, sequestration resulted in the release of nearly 2,600 civilian and contract personnel, eroding critical trade skills in fields such as engineering.

Affordability is driving the need to reduce the total Army end strength and force structure. The Army is in the process an accelerated drawdown to 490,000 in the active component, 350,000 in the Army National Guard, and 202,000 in the U.S. Army Reserve by the end of fiscal year 2015. By the end of fis-cal year 2017, we will further decrease end strength to 450,000 in the active, 335,000 in the Army National Guard, and 195,000 in the Reserve component. These cuts are disproportionally on the active Army, and they will reverse the force mix ratio, go-ing from 51 percent active and 49 percent Reserve in fiscal year 2012 to 46 percent active and 54 percent our Reserve compo-nent in fiscal year 2017. So we’ll have a greater preponderance in our Reserve component, both our National Guard and our Reserve.

In conjunction with these rapid end-strength reductions, the Army is innovatively reorganizing the current operational force and eliminating excess headquarters infrastructure in order to provide greater combat power across remaining brigade combat teams. The Army will also restructure our aviation formation to achieve a leaner, more efficient and capable force that balances op-erational capability and flexibility across the total Army.

As we continue to draw down and restructure over the next three to four years, the Army will have readiness and moderniza-tion deficiencies. Fiscal realities have caused us to implement tiered readiness as a bridging strategy. This concept refers to maintaining different parts of the Army at varying levels of prepa-ration. Under tiered readiness, only 20 percent of the total opera-tional force will conduct collective training to a level necessary to meet our strategic requirements, and we have accepted risk to the readiness of multifunctional and theater support brigades, as well

as in home-station training, facilities, equipment sustainment and modernization.

Forces deployed in Afghanistan will be fully prepared for the security assistance mission, but not for other contingencies. For-ward stationed units in the Republic of Korea will remain ready, as will those dedicated to the Global Response Force. Uncertain and reduced funding has degraded our installation readiness and infra-structure. Base operation support levels remain under-resourced and need to be a future priority as additional funds become avail-able. This year and next are critical to deciding the fate of what is the greatest Army in the world and could have significant implica-tions on our nation’s security for years to come. Cuts implemented under the Budget Control Act and sequestration have significantly impaired our readiness.

Further, I’m concerned about the impact to Army base funds in fiscal year 2015 if the overseas contingency operations, or the OCO, budget request is not acted upon by the start of the fiscal year. Absent approval of OCO funding, we would be required to support OCO-funded missions with base funds, which would im-mediately begin degrading readiness across the total Army.

As we continue to draw down the Army, I can assure you that precision, care and compassion will be hallmarks of our process. Ultimately, the Army is about people. And as we downsize, we are committed to taking care of those who have sacrificed for our na-tion over the last 12 years of war. Required reductions will force out many quality, experienced soldiers. We have created the Sol-dier for Life Program to assist those departing and separating from the Army, and a Ready and Resilient Campaign to ensure that we care for our soldiers and their families, which ultimately improves our readiness. Our wounded warriors and our goals to our families remain a top priority, and we will protect programs that support their needs.

The above is testimony from Campbell to the Senate Armed Services Committee regarding the current readiness of the United States Army, given March 26, 2014. O

U.S. Army soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company perform soldier carry during physical readiness training at the William W.S. Bliss Parade Field, Fort Bliss, Texas. HHC is transitioning to an updated physical readiness training program. [Photo courtesy of U.S. Army/by Specialist Sinthia Rosario]


Q: How does the Special Operations Aviation Training Battalion work with pilots in the 160th for mission success?

A: After an aviator successfully assesses, the next stop is Green Platoon. Green Platoon is different for each student depending on his or her current qualification compared to his or her future role in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR (A)). The student will attend Combat Skills, Dunker and ALSE Training, Basic Skills, Aircraft Transitions as required, and then Advanced Skills in the specific aircraft to be flown in the regi-ment. For instance, a UH-60 pilot will progress through four courses encompassing 123 training days to reach BMQ [basic military qualification] status, whereas an OH-58D pilot going to the same line company in the regiment will pass through five courses covering 153 training days due to the requirement for an MH-60 transition.

Q: What platforms do you train 160th pilots on?

A: SOATB trains in four aircraft—the MH-47G, MH-60M, AH-6M and the MH-6M.

Q: Can you give me some specifics about how you train pilots in the following environments: desert, mountain, overwater/shipboard operations, urban, jungle? What is unique about each one?

A: The training for each of the environments is as different as one may imagine, with each having its own particular challenges to the student, the instructors, and to SOATB.

Desert and mountain are environments taught at either Fort Carson, Colo., Albuquerque, N.M., or Fort Bliss, Texas. The tech-niques to operate in those environments are first taught in the classroom, then an aircraft-specific simulator, before the student ever sees the dust or mountain for real.

Shipboard operations and overwater training are conducted anywhere along the East Coast or Gulf Coast where a ship is avail-able for training. While landing to a 12,000-foot pinnacle under goggles is not for the faint of heart, landing to a pitching deck 50 miles off the coast with zero elimination will really get your at-tention. As in the desert/mountain phase, each student will prog-ress through academic and simulator training prior to flying over water and landing on a deck in the aircraft.

SOATB incorporates simulation at every step for the student to see the techniques required for shipboard operations prior to seeing them for real. One of those simulation devices is a build-ing which houses a one-of-a-kind Aquatics Training Theater, the Allison Aquatics Training Facility, or AATF. The AATF person-nel are seasoned combat divers and dive technicians who teach a myriad of different training courses, culminating with egress from a disabled aircraft at sea, at night, in the rain, with 2- to 3-foot seas, and a 50-mph wind. These courses are all taught from the pilot, crew and passenger perspectives.

SPecial oPerationS aviation training battalion trainS for adverSe conditionS.

Military Training Technology had the chance talk to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Training Battalion (SOATB) regarding training pilots to operate rotary aircraft in adverse weather conditions and varying environments and the challenges associated with such training.


Q: What is the ratio of live to simulated training?

A: It varies by aircraft type, but about one-third of our flight training for pilots is conducted in the simulator.

Q: What simulators do you use for training?

A: SOATB utilizes the AATF, MH-47G, MH-60M and A/MH-6M combat mission simulators. The flight simulators would be con-sidered Level D devices in the civilian world.

Q: Is there any environment that proves the most difficult to train in or causes the most problems toward achieving mission success?

A: This question is a personal one depending on the student. Flying low-level at night across land is a common skill in Army aviation, but landing in a dust cloud with no visual reference in the desert, or to a rooftop surround by buildings and wires, or overwater hoist operations in the rain, or landing to a pitching deck under zero illu-mination, all cause anxiety to each individual in a different way. The SOATB instructor pilots are all experienced Night Stalkers who have the ability to reach individual students in distinct effective ways.

Q: What are some of the differences in training for daytime and nighttime operations?

A: Actually they are more similar than you would think; of course nighttime has a few additional planning considerations, but

darkness is our friend in combat. We strive to have the student as comfortable at night under NVGs [night vision goggles] as they were prior to their arrival.

Q: What are the primary challenges of training for nighttime missions?

A: In a nutshell—obstacles! This is where effective detailed plan-ning becomes important, knowing where the obstacles are before you ever walk to the aircraft. Night Stalkers are famous for labo-rious, detailed pre-mission planning, which is one of the ways we mitigate the high-risk missions we are able to accomplish.

Q: Can you give me a recent success story about how you feel your pilots’ training paid off to complete a mission?

A: The regiment’s history is a testament to the unit’s superior training, both initial Green Platoon training in SOATB and the continuation training within the 160th SOAR (A). SOATB pro-vides the basics for the basic mission qualified Night Stalker to work with when he or she gets to the line battalion. The real work comes in the regiment with continuation training and customer support. O



A 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) pilot sits inside a helicopter simulator during advanced flight training techniques. The 160th SOAR uses simulators for approximately one-third of their flight training. [Photo courtesy of 160th SOAR]

Soldiers from the 511th Engineer Company, 326th Engineer Battalion (AASLT), 36th Engineer Brigade escape from a simulated CH-47 Chinook helicopter during Ground Forces Water Survival Egress training at the Allison Aquatics Training Facility. [Photo courtesy of U.S. Army/by Staff Sgt. Thaddius S. Dawkins II, United States Army Special Operations Aviation Command]


The widely cited U.S. policy of “Pacific Re-balance” is impacting trans-Pacific relationships across a spectrum of governmental, economic and security environments.

Within the trans-Pacific security environment, Department of Defense components are working to incorporate many of the critical Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) lessons learned over the past 14 years into a framework of cooperation and understanding with new regional partners. And one set of critical les-sons involves the importance of cultural and lan-guage training for forces operating on a global stage.

Some of the new efforts to support cultural and language training range from simplified language efforts to specialized training facilities to new software developments designed to ac-celerate regional capabilities among U.S. forces.

One fairly basic example of early trans-Pacific/Asia language efforts can be seen in “Disaster Assistance Translator for Asia,” developed by Kwikpoint on behalf of the Department of the Navy’s Center for Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture. Similar to the company’s American Red Cross Disaster Assistance Translator, the 24-panel laminated card not only features hundreds of visual images covering applications from medical to family issues, but also adds key phrases in Bengali, Burmese, Cantonese, Dzongka, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Maldivian, Mandarin, Nep-alese, Sinhala, Tagalog, Thai and Vietnamese.

At the other end of the complexity spectrum, San Diego-based Strategic Operations is configuring regional training facilities to

support the same levels of “hyper-realism” that have been applied to their Iraqi and Afghan training set-tings over the past decade.

Kit Lavell, executive vice president at Strategic Operations, said much of the current work is being done with the Marine Corps through the Program Management Training Systems (PM TRASYS) Atmo-spherics contract, a multi-year contract under which the company provides “all of the things that go inside and outside MOUT [military operations on urban ter-rain] facilities to make them look realistic and that have the ability to be changed to reflect whatever the

current theater of operations happens to be.”Following up on a record of implementing cultural realism

across a variety of U.S. training site locations, Lavell pointed to At-mospherics support of the Pacific Rebalance, offering, “In Guam, for example, we are currently making the MOUT facilities look like the Far East.”

Lavell explained that the company’s business is split between manufacturing and training.

“On the manufacturing end, in addition to our Atmospherics, we are building for the military services and other governmen-tal agencies MOUT facilities and other types of buildings, includ-ing embassies and governmental buildings and compounds that might be found through all parts of the world,” he said.

“In addition to that, we are involved in training in a big way,” he added. “And being one of the very first companies to use actors who know the culture and the language 12 years ago, starting with the Middle East, we have provided role player support and everything that

looking at the imPact of the u.S. military’S Shift to the Pacific. by Scott r. gourley, mt2 correSPondent

Kit Lavell

[email protected]


goes along with it—wardrobe, special effects and things like that—to replicate different parts of the world. We have supplied role players who know other languages of the Far East—including Taga-log, Korean and others. So we see the shift and we are prepared to provide role players and cultural experts in those parts of the world.

“We’re using all of the same hyper-realistic techniques that we have developed to support OEF and OIF,” he added. “And for OEF and OIF those were used in a very kinetic way. But we are now using those same techniques to train our men and women in uniform in those types of situations and environments where it is necessary to work with indigenous elements—either government, mili-tary or local populations.”

Other companies are focused on new comput-er-based cultural and training support of the rebal-ance toward the Asia-Pacific.

Highlighting what he described as “an increas-ing need to prepare people for operations in the East Asian region,” W. Lewis Johnson, Ph.D., president and CEO, Alelo Inc., explained, “Most of our relationships with Asia are bilateral as opposed to broad alli-ance, such as NATO. So that results in an increasing need for people to be sent over as foreign affairs officers, liaisons and things of that sort. So we are getting requests for computer-based training for people en-gaged in those types of operations.”

He illustrated his point with a recent project example where the company developed a course to enhance cultural awareness for people being sent to Taiwan.

“The nature of the missions is also changing,” Johnson added. “Of course there is an ongoing pres-ence and focus in Korea, but there is also a need to be ready to support operations elsewhere. That includes things like primarily humanitarian assistance and di-saster relief. And again we are receiving requests to provide training support for those types of missions, particularly in Southeast Asia.

“And we are beginning to see an increased interest in joint exercises,” he continued. “For example, there have been periodic exercises in Indonesia in collabo-ration with the Republic of Indonesia authorities. So that’s ongoing and may grow to an increasing extent going forward.”

Johnson characterized the current environment as being “at a relatively early stage in terms of identifying specific training require-ments for the rebalance to Asia,” adding, “So while I cited a few ex-amples for you, I think that’s just the beginning. I would anticipate that there is going to be an increasing need to prepare units for op-erations in East Asia.”

As another example of how that unit preparation is being sup-ported by Alelo, he pointed to the company’s development of “a new capability called VRP MIL, which basically makes it possible to in-tegrate cultural awareness training into virtual training in the VBS [Bohemia Interactive’s Virtual Battle Space] environment.”

“Basically we now have a plug-in that makes it possible for train-ing officers to populate VBS simulations with virtual role players that can perform in a culturally-appropriate way, using language appropri-ate to the region, in support of various types of training missions,” he said.

“So this is an area where we are gearing up to provide a capabil-ity, not just for the U.S. Department of Defense but also as major providers to the Australian Defence Force,” he added. “And there’s a fair bit of overlap between the training requirements of the Austra-lians and the United States. But it’s not a complete overlap. There are some countries they work in where we don’t and vice versa. But overall I see commonality in terms of the types of missions being trained for, the type of training demand and an increasing desire to integrate that training into a virtual simulation based platform.”

Ryan McAlinden, associate director for digital training and instruction at the Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT), highlighted ICT’s training efforts in support of a military focus away from the asym-metric counter-insurgency (COIN) environment of the last 15 years toward future decisive action and disaster relief scenarios.

“For example, we have an application called Ur-banSim, which was a counter-insurgency trainer for battalion and brigade commanders, used primar-ily at the School for Command Preparation at Fort Leavenworth,” he explained. “Although it was really focused on the COIN environment, we are currently

‘re-factoring’ it to be centered more around civil support for disaster relief.”

Another UrbanSim re-design effort recently started by ICT in-volves working with the U.S. Army 7th Infantry Division—based at Fort Lewis, Wash., and oriented toward Pacific Command—is also focused around disaster relief operations, although McAlinden said that scenario specifics remain to be determined.

“The cultural and language parts of these are being framed around disaster scenarios and working primarily with local civil authorities,” he said. “That’s also a big shift away from what we had been doing, which was focused at the national level or even geo-political level, where you had battalion and brigade commanders who were meeting with ministers.”

Along with the UrbanSim efforts, McAlinden said that ICT was also working with the Army at Fort Lewis to develop “a general cul-tural trainer for the [Pacific Command] AOR [area of responsibil-ity].”

W. Lewis Johnson, Ph.D.

[email protected]

A screenshot of project screen grab. [Photo courtesy of Alelo]


“In the Pacific Rim, there are certain cultural similarities across all parts,” explained McAlinden. “Obviously there’s a heavy Asian influence. And then those Asian in-fluences have something of a trans-Pacific component to them in terms of things like maritime trade and commerce … But that’s a high-level cultural trainer. The next thing will be to drill down into specific regions where units will deploy. So if you are going to Korea or the Philippines, it will be a tuned version of the application that will allow them to be a bit more focused for a specific area.”

Michael Paley, CEO for Aptima, pointed to that company’s de-velopment of Authoring By Cultural Demonstration (ABCD) for its potential contributions toward training for the trans-Pacific region.

Originally funded through the Office of Naval Research as a Small Business Innovative Research project (and later transferred to the Army Simulation and Training Technology Center), ABCD is an innovative approach to creating cultural training scenarios that combine cognitive science, technology and commercial off-the-shelf scenario-authoring tools. Requiring minimal technical know-how, the software allows warfighters and instructors to quickly script and transform real-world incidents into animated vignettes for game-based training.

In one notional scenario, a commander learns of a cultural disconnect through an interpreter and quickly realizes that other units could be making similar mistakes. A dramatization of the in-cident can be created using the ABCD software’s drag-and-drop in-terface to develop characters, imbue them with gestures and fill in dialogue. To facilitate scenario creation, ABCD includes a library of culturally-relevant assets, including physical locations, avatars and props. When the storyboard is complete, ABCD’s AI-based cinemat-ographic software renders the vignette in an artificial 3-D environ-ment. This machine-generated animated scenario, or “machinima,” can run on any gaming engine. The soldier can also specify branch-ing interactions that involve choice and consequence for a more interactive training experience for the game-player.

“The value of ABCD in these applications is that it provides an environment to rapidly develop new training scenarios,” Paley said. “As we pivot to new locations (i.e., the Pacific pivot) the need to rapidly develop new training content will be critical.”

With primary partners like the Army, Marine Corps and special op-erations forces, Scott Stanford, a senior trainer for IDS International, offered, “The demand signal we have been getting from our partners is that they want to be ‘generally prepared’ to go anyplace in the world. So the rebalance for them is more about reducing the focus on the Middle East and Central Asia and having a more global preparedness.”

Asserting that IDS “innovated the space of bringing interagency role players and actual legitimate cultural experts into large scale training exercises,” Stanford emphasized the need for “operational relevance” in cultural and language training.

“‘Culture,’ in the first place, has been one of the most misunder-stood and maybe most unfortunate terms to permeate the training lexicon in the last 10-12 years,” he explained. “What we know about culture is that it changes, and it changes in particular in respect to conflict.

“So, from the perspective of an Army or Marine or special forces unit going in to deal with those people, the question becomes the specific level that you want to ap-preciate their culture so that you can deal with them effectively. And one of the ways we have tried to do this has been primarily ethnicity-based or religious-based culture. But the reality is that our military partners realize that might be giving you the right information that you need

in order to be able to interface with these people in a way that de-conflicts your mission and allows you to anticipate and shape their reactions, and allows you to help them in any meaningful way,” he added.

He pointed to programs like the company’s SMEIR [Social Me-dia Internet Replication], now in use at Fort Polk, La., as examples of the types of new efforts designed to provide the training that will be “operationally relevant” for the Asia-Pacific or other areas of the globe. O

VRoleplay byTM

Start a conversationReview briefing/objectivesWeapon on back

for BISimulations VBS3 ®

VIRTUAL CULTURAL AWARENESS TRAINERVIRTUAL CULTURAL AWARENESS TRAINER

ITEC 2014 stand G-132 / SOFIC 2014 booth 1546

®PLAY. LEARN. COMMUNICATE.

www.alelo.com



scott stanford

[email protected]

michael Paley

[email protected]


commanD ProFile

On January 23, the Asymmetric War-fare Group (AWG) hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Asymmetric Warfare Training Center (AWTC) at Fort A.P. Hill, Va. The facility, built to support the AWG’s mission of identifying capability gaps and rapidly providing solution development, also provides a location to present tailor-made operational or training scenarios for various complex environments in support of Army and joint forces, and other govern-ment organizations mission requirements.

When we examine where our nation and the Army is today, the opening of AWTC could not be timelier for our forces. Our armed forces are about to conclude the longest war in our nation’s history. For the Army, our task is to transition from an Army at war to an Army of preparation—capable of deterring, and if need be, fight-ing and winning the next war. This is not the first time our Army has had to maintain this stance, and it will most likely not be the last. Each time our forces go through this cycle, the challenge is to retain the hard-fought lessons learned from the last conflict to best posture ourselves for suc-cess on the first day of the next conflict.

The AWG’s mission, and the develop-ment and opening of the AWTC, dem-onstrates an example of the Army’s goal at posturing itself as a key component to strategic land power and Unified Land Operations. As the Training and Doctrine Command’s (TRADOC) “global scouts,” the AWG embodies the Army’s ability to rap-idly adapt to meet current and emerging threats. The AWG focuses on four critical tasks to do this: providing operational ad-visory support; identifying capability gaps and enemy tactics, techniques and proce-dures (TTP); enabling rapid development

and dissemination of material and non-material solutions to the force; and taking an innovative and adaptive approach of lessons learned and integrating them back into the operational Army.

oPerational adviSory SuPPort

In providing operational advisory sup-port to Army and joint forces, AWG’s focus remains on increasing soldier survivability and enhancing combat effectiveness. The AWG deploys its advisors worldwide, to in-clude multiple countries within the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and South Amer-ica. The AWG’s operational advisors serve an important role in assisting the Army to win the current and future fight. By look-ing forward, the AWG helps to influence the human domain in operations short of war such as peacekeeping and building partner capacity: elements that are critical to sus-taining our nation’s strategic land power.

identifying caPability gaPS and enemy ttPS

In having a global presence, and in most cases embedding with Army and joint forc-es, AWG members are able to provide first-hand observations, analysis and identifica-tion of friendly capability gaps with regard to asymmetric and irregular threats across the globe. Once identified, AWG postures it-self to accomplish its mission in providing solutions to these capability gaps.

develoPment and diSSemination of SolutionS via the awtc

Chartered with rapidly developing and disseminating both material and

non-material solutions, the AWG seeks to close friendly capability gaps and allow our military to remain the most capable force in the world. Solutions can range from material—adding a commercial off-the-shelf item to a soldier’s combat kit—to nonmaterial— developing and assess-ing a TTP for subterranean operations. The solution development piece is where the AWTC comes into play.

Located on 300 acres, the AWTC con-sists of an urban complex—encompassing an embassy, religious structures, bank, school, underground subway and train sta-tion, helicopter landing zone that doubles as a soccer field, bridge and other struc-tures that can be found throughout the globe and transformed into a variety of fa-cilities based on the scenario. Also within its confines are firing ranges, a light demo-lition range, a mobility range, and adminis-trative facilities to support operations.

The AWTC is uniquely suited to sup-port AWG solution development efforts. The objective of the AWTC is to create a place where change can happen. The AWTC is a place where leaders are enabled to look holistically at the operational en-vironment and observe potential shortfalls we face globally. The ability to create vari-ous problem sets and challenge leaders in ever-changing dynamic and stressful envi-ronments is how we prepare for the future rather than confronting them for the first time while under fire. We are able to do this through instituting innovative, tailor-made, operational or training scenarios where valuable lessons can be learned, al-lowing our military to maintain its innova-tive and adaptive attributes.

The AWG also looks at the AWTC as a place where various military, governmental

Asymmetric Warfare Training Center helPing to enhance oPerational readineSS.by colonel John P. PetkoSek


and first responders have access to the fa-cility and collaborate on shared initiatives and best practices. Given its location with-in the national capital region, these orga-nizations are encouraged to use the facility when not in use by the AWG.

Once solutions are identified, the AWG is equipped, and uniquely positioned within TRADOC, to accomplish its final critical task of integrating lessons learned back into the institutional Army.

integration of leSSonS learned within the inStitutional army

As a key component of TRADOC, the AWG is able to rapidly integrate the solu-tions it develops back into the institutional Army. We are able to accomplish this in a collaborative partnership with various Army, joint, interagency, industry and key TRADOC organizations that the AWG works with to integrate and change the Army.

Various examples of integration include re-writing doctrine to changing the way the Army trains, reorganizing our personnel, to determining which facilities the Army will use to prepare our soldiers for the next con-flict. Everything that the AWG accomplish-es at the AWTC has been designed to have a direct and lasting impact on the Army.

concluSion

As we rebalance our national security strategy, the mission of the AWTC plays a small but key role within our nation. The mission of our armed forces is to deter war and to protect the security of our country; this includes deterring and defeating our adversaries, projecting power, and prepar-ing for conflicts that are yet to come. To accomplish this, our nation must do what has been described by the Strategic Land Power Task Force as having a “ready, ro-bust, responsive and regionally engaged

forces operating on the land…” The mis-sion that we conduct at the AWTC allows us to help provide those ready and responsive ground forces our nation requires. O

Colonel John P. Petkosek is the com-mander of the Asymmetric Warfare Group.

For more information, contact MT2 Editor Brian O’Shea at [email protected] or search our online archives for related stories at www.mt2-kmi.com.

W W W. I I T S E C . O R G u D E C E M B E R 1 - 4 , 2 0 1 4 u O R L A N D O, F L O R I D AN A T I O N A L T R A I N I N G A N D S I M U L A T I O N A S S O C I A T I O N

Why I/ITSEC?u 14,000 Attendeesu 526 Exhibitorsu 150 Sessionsu 70 Countries, over 1,900 International Delegates

W O R L D ’ S L A R G E S T M O D E L I N G , S I M U L A T I O N A N D T R A I N I N G E V E N T

I/ITSEC

col. John P. Petkosek


FLETC Celebrates 10-Year Partnership with Team Orlando

On April 1, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC), part of the Department of Homeland Security, celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its partnership with Team Orlando.

“When I first visited more than 10 years ago, I was overwhelmed by the camaraderie and unity of the members of Team Orlando,” said Connie Patrick, FLETC director. “I can’t tell you what a difference your partnership has made on the quality of law enforcement training. It put us on the forefront of law enforcement training in the world.”

“Today is a spectacular day,” said Captain Steve Nakagawa, com-manding officer, Naval Air Warfare Center Training System Division. “We in the training business have to partner with each other, because we all get better through partnerships.”

Nakagawa highlighted the FLETC liaison officers and credited them for the success of the partnership. In particular, he mentioned the partnership surrounding the Advanced Use of Force Training Sys-tem (AUFTS) as one of his favorite success stories.

“Even though it’s been out for years, it really helps to tell the story of how partnership works,” he said. “Our partnership really blossomed into much more than what the original agreement stated, and I’m very proud of it.”

Nakagawa also described how AUFTS has been used as an example for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) outreach, at events such as Otronicon, to help educate students and their parents about the need for supporting STEM subjects and the multitude of ca-reer fields in which STEM is used.

“It was great that 10 years ago, Director Patrick’s vision coincided with the military’s vision of training,” said Kent Gritton, director of the Joint Training Integration and Evaluation Center. “The resulting partnership has been very beneficial to both sides of the aisle.”

Like Nakagawa, Gritton mentioned one of the partnership pro-grams that he felt was significant, the Avatar Based Interview Simulator [ABIS], a collaborative effort between multiple branches of FLETC and Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumenta-tion (PEO STRI). ABIS is a system used as a training tool and feedback mechanism for teaching law enforcement interview techniques.

Traci Jones, assistant program executive officer for Project Sup-port at PEO STRI, spoke about the recently fielded virtual marksman-ship training range, which is the civilian version of the firing range at FLETC’s Glynco, Ga., facility, and said she was very proud of it. De-scribed in its information paper as the “largest-known virtual firing range in the United States,” this range provides an accurate represen-tation of a live fire environment to further enhance student learning.

“FLETC, in coordination with PEO STRI, acquired the virtual marksmanship training range,” explained Dan Lynch, the program’s lead engineer, PEO STRI. “A key factor in this project was the suc-cessful cross-agency coordination for the requirements generation,

materiel development, and efficient contracting process that produced a world-class training application for a specialized customer base.”

Program Manager, Training Systems Dan Torgler also noted how their partnership with FLETC has been good for the U.S. Marine Corps, and how they consistently share information on related force-on-force and force-on-target training, such as close quarters battle, decision making (shoot/no shoot) and target shoot-back technology.

“In the area of Joint Non-Lethal Weapons, Colonel Coolican, who was the former PM TRASYS and is now the director for Joint Non-Lethal Weapons, will visit Team Orlando with his team on May 1,” ex-plained Torgler. “He wants to be sure that FLETC is part of the meeting because of their non-lethal expertise.”

But the accolades weren’t all focused on the programs themselves. Dr. Neal Finkelstein, branch chief, U.S. Army Research Laboratory, who has been part of Team Orlando since its inception, said, “The great thing about Team Orlando is nothing is forced. When DHS FLETC and Team Orlando decided to work together 10 years ago, it was the right thing to do, at the right time, for the right reasons.

“I am glad we took time to look back at our accomplishments today and smell the roses,” Finkelstein said. “But in this case, it is more than a couple of roses—we have built quite a large garden together.”

For FLETC and its mission “to train those who protect our home-land,” it only makes sense they would seek out and find Team Orlando, the key player in what is recognized as the nation’s largest cluster of modeling, simulation and training.

“It is all about performing training for events that haven’t hap-pened yet, because if you wait until you need training it’s too late,” said Patrick. “Thank you for recognizing our people. They are the magic that makes it happen.” O

by dolly rairigh glaSS

FLETC Director Connie Patrick is greeted by Naval Air Warfare Center Training System Division Commanding Officer Capt. Steve Nakagawa (center) and Executive Officer Capt. Wes Naylor before the 10-year celebration begins. [Photo courtesy of Team Orlando]


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NEXT ISSUEJune 2014

Vol. 19, Issue 4

Cover and In-Depth Interview with:

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Special Section:Defeating IEDs

Command Profile:F-35 Integrated Training Center

Features:Aviation Maintenance TrainersAircraft Gunnery SimulationDistance LearningUnmanned Ground Vehicles

America's Longest Established Simulation & Training Magazine


Joseph SwinskiChief Executive Officer

Disti

Joseph Swinski has served the simu-lation and training industry for 25 years. Beginning with his work on image gen-erators for General Electric, he continued his career by joining UCF’s Institute for Simulation and Training, which present-ed the opportunity to start a business that would provide training classes to the in-dustry. In 1994, he co-founded Disti and is currently serving as the CEO.

Q: Can you describe Disti’s history and evolution?

A: Disti’s history and evolution began 20 years ago with the vision of Bill An-drews, Darren Humphrey and I to provide training classes to simulation developers around the world. We were teaching DIS [distributed interactive simulation] train-ing classes at the Institute of Simulation and Training at the University of Central Florida, when we realized that the in-dustry could greatly benefit from a more in-depth technical training course that covered how to use DIS protocols. Armed with this vision, we launched Distributed Simulation Technology, now called The Disti Corporation. Today we are a leading provider of 3-D interactive user interface software and customized virtual mainte-nance training solutions.

Q: What are some of your key products in the DoD training and simulation in-dustry?

A: Our flagship product GL Studio is a user interface software tool that creates 2-D and 3-D components for use in cock-pit instrumentation, dashboards and em-bedded applications. The industry uses GL Studio content in cockpit repeaters, part task trainers, instructor operator stations and other low-cost touch screen training devices. Since its release in 2000, it has be-come the gold standard in our industry. In 2005, we started the development of our Virtual Environment Software Develop-ment Kit (VESDK), which revolutionized

the creation of 3-D scenes for virtual main-tenance training applications. In 2013, Disti received a patent on VESDK.

Q: What are some of the new training/simulation technologies Disti is develop-ing for 2014?

A: For 2014, we’re introducing this idea of virtual maintenance training that is scalable no matter what the need. Disti is focusing on a single development pro-cess using VESDK to create the training content. The training content for a desk-top, Web application, mobile device or full platform trainer is scalable based on the project scope without compromising in-teractivity or fidelity.

Q: How are you positioned for the future within the U.S. military?

A: As defense budgets consistently shrink, the value for virtual training programs increases. In fact, we have noticed several branches within the U.S. military, who have traditionally used hardware train-ing devices, are now moving toward and adopting a virtualized training approach. We are confident that our past successes will create a concrete sustainable future for continued work with the U.S. military.

Q: What is Disti’s connection with the defense community?

A: Eighty percent of our customer base falls within the boundaries of the defense community. Our technology is used by

every branch within the U.S. military, is implemented by nearly all tier one defense contractors, and is integrated across sev-eral major ministries of defense. A few years ago, Disti was every primary con-tractor’s best-kept secret. Today, when prime contractors are vying for work they know that our name and technology car-ry a lot of weight with DoD. They know that training devices built with our tools, technology, or services will be the best in class.

Q: What is an example of your success in the military, and what are some of your goals (specific to the training/simulation industry) over the next year?

A: Our goal is to have all prime contrac-tors adopting our VESDK tools or technol-ogy when developing their virtual main-tenance training devices of the future. I have been on this soapbox for the past six years and as a result, our environments are now in use on F-15, F-16, F/A-18 and F-35 maintenance trainers. Our goal for 2014 is to move our technology onto U.S. Army programs.

Q: How do customers benefit from Dis-ti’s varied resources and expertise?

A: Disti has been driving down the cost to create a virtual environment for main-tenance trainers using VESDK. This is a patented process (Patent 8,429,600 B2) enabling risk-free development of scalable virtual maintenance training environ-ments. While most people become enam-ored with game engines, VESDK delivers much more than just the pretty picture. It’s about the workflow; how the content is developed, tracked and tested through-out the project life cycle. This is the real cost and risk driver in maintenance train-ing contracts. VESDK efficiently manages the entire workflow used in developing a virtual environment tailored to meet the customer’s specific training require-ments. O

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