Written by / Compiled by KMI Media Group staff
MT2 2010 Volume: 15 Issue: 4 (July)
Proposal for CRIIS Program Phase II
A team led by Boeing submitted a proposal to the U.S. Air Force for Phase 2 of the Common Range Integrated Instrumentation System (CRIIS) program. CRIIS will help improve the accuracy and realism of joint-service test and training activities.
“CRIIS is designed to integrate with ground soldiers; low-dynamic ground and air vehicles; watercraft; and highly dynamic and maneuverable aircraft. It will be used by all service branches on a wide array of test and training activities for decades to come,” explained Mark McGraw, Boeing vice president of Training Systems & Services, in a company statement.
In 2008, Boeing was one of two companies awarded the first phase of the CRIIS program, with the objective of demonstrating technology that delivers enhanced time, space and position information (TSPI); datalinks and encryption. Phase 1 will be complete in June and the Phase 2 contract award is expected in September.
“The biggest lesson learned from the CRIIS program is that when we reach back within ‘One Boeing,’ coupled with cooperative support from our industry team leaders, the ability to tackle the biggest challenges were easier to overcome,” McGraw recalled, and added, “Working together toward a common goal continues to enhance the team’s ability to perform on the program.”
The company’s teammates include L-3 Com’s Nova, Interstate Electronics Corp., Telemetry West, Geodetics, ArgonST, Harris Corp. and DRS Technologies.
Alison Sheridan: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
AFMSTT Contract Award
AEgis Technologies Group was awarded a three-year contract for the Air Force Modeling and Simulation Training Toolkit (AFMSTT). The tool kit is a non-commercial, governmentowned simulation system used to train joint force command, joint force air component commander and their battle staffs in multiple federation environments.
Georgina Chapman, AEgis spokesperson, added, “The Air Force Modeling Simulation Training Toolkit is a widely distributed training system that serves more than 55,000 joint command and control staff in more than 60 exercises and events yearly. From mission rehearsal to frontline training to multination events, AFMSTT is the authoritative air warfare and logistics simulation representation for U.S. and coalition forces.”
Accenture is the primary subcontractor. “AEgis’ partner, Accenture, will provide development and deployment resources that help ensure model availability and performance enhancements for a new generation of AFMSTT users,” concluded Chapman.
Steve Swenson: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Early Ready-for-Training Status Reported
L-3 Link Simulation & Training announced that four F/A-18C Tactical Operational Flight Trainers (TOFTs) it provided for Switzerland’s F/A-18 Flight Simulator Upgrade program have achieved readyfor- training status one month ahead of schedule. The TOFTs, installed and networked at Payerne Air Force Base in Switzerland, have been fielded with the Swiss F/A-18C’s latest operational flight program upgrade, ensuring the training devices remain concurrent with the Hornet platform.
The F/A-18 trainers, integrated with L-3 Link’s SimuSphere 360-degree field-of-view visual display, provide pilots with 100 nautical miles of visibility. Pilots are able to jointly conduct simulated air-toair and air-to-ground tactical maneuvers, aerial refueling, normal and emergency procedures, and both joint helmet mounted cueing system and night vision goggle operations.
Tim Foley: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
FLAMES to Support C2WSPTT
Ternion Corporation won a new contract from the U.S. Air Force 505th Communications Squadron (505 CS) to continue development on the Command and Control Weapon System Part Task Trainer (C2WSPTT), which is based on Ternion’s FLAMES simulation framework.
C2WSPTT is an on-demand, single-server, resident modeling and simulation capability that simulates an Air and Space Operations Center (AOC) environment. The 505 CS, under the 505th Command and Control Wing, developed C2WSPTT with support from Ternion Corporation to provide a low-cost, high-fidelity M&S capability with a small footprint, to allow AOC units to conduct in-garrison training without the need for outside agency support.
FLAMES supplies a single architecture for constructing air, space, land, sea, human and environmental models in C2WSPTT. FLAMES also supports DIS and HLA protocols, so C2WSPTT can interface with other virtual and constructive models in a distributed environment.
“Ternion’s deliverables under this contract include the analysis, design, development, test, integration, sustainment and documentation of existing capabilities and new software enhancements to the C2WSPTT baseline system using FLAMES,” Mike Cash, director of Engineering Services and co-owner of Ternion, told MT2. He continued, “We expect new requirements to be generated by the product as it is further deployed and new, more sophisticated training goals emerge. Each release of the product allows the customer to experience a more intense and potentially more realistic training regimen. Thus, the trainee is able to move from simple tasks to more focused and complex objectives giving rise to new software requirements.”
Betsy Pruitt: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
First Sale of Cubic’s Virtual Reality System for Small Arms Training
Cubic’s Simulation Systems Division was awarded a contract to supply 27 of its COMBATREDI systems to the Florida Army National Guard, along with four 180-degree Warrior Skills Trainers (WST), a vehicle trainer that works with COMBATREDI. The award represents Cubic’s first sale of the new COMBATREDI system, which immerses users in a highly realistic 360-degree “virtual reality” environment.
A statement provided to MT2 noted, “COMBATREDI is a new approach for Cubic, its first completely tetherless, user-worn virtual training system. It features a high-definition helmet-mounted OLED video display that delivers game-quality graphics with a 60-by-45-degree field of view, and an integrated 3-D stereo headset for sound effects. Trainees are able to move through a 360-degree virtual environment, buildings, as if it were real. The user carries a realistic wireless 'surrogate’ rifle that performs like a real one, requiring things like magazine changes and selecting the correct firing mode to operate correctly."
The WST system projects realistic high-fidelity scenes on large screens using the Virtual Battle Space 2 engine. This system is in use in multiple U.S. Army locations.
Mark Saturno: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Realistic Link 16 Training for Navy Aviators
Tactical Communications Group (TCG) announced the U.S. Navy has selected TCG’s training software solution to provide realistic Link 16 training for operators at its Whidbey Island, Washington Naval Air Station.
The U.S. Navy’s West Coast EA-6B / EA-18G training squadron awarded this new contract to TCG to fulfill a requirement to train pilots and ground operational personnel on tactical data link (TDL) tactics, techniques and procedures, so pilots and operators can “train as they fight” using TCG’s Ground Tactical Data Link System (GTS). TCG’s GTS solution will allow the Navy’s EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G Growler operators at Whidbey Island—in the air and on the ground—to have connectivity and visibility into their Link 16-equipped aircraft operations, and provide these operators crucial training on Link 16 supported missions.
TCG’s GTS solution is a complete, highly realistic tactical training and simulation system for terrestrial TDL networks.
Buzz Gillogly: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Aero Simulation Receives Two Navy Contracts
Aero Simulation Inc. (ASI) was awarded a contract for performance of major upgrades to the Navy’s existing C-2A operational flight trainer (OFT) located in Norfolk. The program was awarded by the Naval Air Warfare Center– Training Systems Division through the exercise of an option on an existing delivery order under ASI’s Training Systems Contract (TSC) II contract. ASI will provide upgrades to the trainer to incorporate aircraft configuration changes for CNS/ATM equipment, the NP2000 Propulsion System and deliver an upgraded instructor operator station.
The company was also awarded a contract for development of a reconfigurable flight training device (RFTD) that replicates both E-2C and C-2A aircraft. As part of the effort, ASI will also upgrade a previously awarded E-2C RFTD to incorporate C-2A functionality. The program was awarded by the Naval Air Warfare Center–Training Systems Division as a Delivery Order under ASI’s TSC II contract.
The RFTDs will support multiple configurations of both aircraft, leveraging ASI’s design architecture and ability to rapidly support training requirements for another aircraft baseline. Specific configurations include both the CNS/ATM with NP2000 and conventional versions of the E-2C Hawkeye 2000 and C-2A aircraft.
C. Michael McCarthy, Ph.D., ASI’s president, told MT2 that “ASI will be delivering the C-2A OFT Upgrade in April, 2011, while the E-2C/C-2A RFTD will be delivered to the Fleet in June, 2011.”
Dan Deschnow: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it