COTSEU (COMMERCIAL-OFF-THE-SHELF EVALUATION UNIT) Aviation Tactical Training Stu Armstrong

1. COTSEU(COMMERCIAL-OFF-THE-SHELF EVALUATION UNIT) Aviation Tactical TrainingStu Armstrong Chief Technology Consultant – QinetiQ

2. 01 WP2: Aviation Tactical Training Requirement “Current in-theatre commitments have pushed the need for an aviation tactics training solution for all aviation assets currently deployed. Joint Helicopter Command has requested the COTSEU to investigate a COTS solution to support theatre specific tactics training for the Apache, Sea King, Puma, Chinook, Lynx and Merlin. Joint Helicopter Command are investigating COTS solutions to support Aviation Tactics Training. Preliminary discussions with Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) have identified a possible COTS solution. The COTSEU team will work closely with JHC and the users to design and demonstrate a potential technical solution. In addition to the JHC need there is a requirement for a consistent desk top aviation tactics trainer across land and air CTE’s such as CATT, DSALT and TES.” Statement of Requirement, FTS1/RAOIST/03 TIN010, May 2009

3. 01 Summary - Problem • Problems Identified • Current tactics trainers focused primarily on the AH community • Current solutions are inflexible, expensive and slow to develop in comparison to COTS based solutions • Requirements Identified • Targeted fidelity solution to match the SME judged standard of simulation for training • Key instruments represented with essential functionality • Rapidly reconfigurable within hours • Mobile, must be capable of being deployed on exercise • Using COTS based hardware and software where possible • Concept Demonstration VBS2 • MOD Simulation of Choice for 3D • Contains all main MOD current operational equipment • Easily modified and updated • Fully supports interoperability simulation standards • Capable of simulating air, sea and land components

4. 01 Summary - CCD • A single simulation to represent (most of) current operational environment • Support Helicopters – Chinook & Seaking • Attack Helicopter • Dismounted Solider • Artillery– AS90 and MLRS • UAV – Hermes 450 & Desert Hawk • Complete Range of OPFOR • Immersive Environment • The VBS2 engine allows for highly detailed geo-specific terrain to enhance training value and levels of immersion by supporting mission specific training • Geo-specific Terrain (50km x 50km) • Very high fidelity individual behaviours to complex vehicle dynamics • Ability to train Joint Fires

5. 01 Design Lessons • A modular architecture • Highly modular design allows rapid response to new technology • COTS based hardware and software standards ensure longevity and continued support • Ability to expand system to accommodate changing requirements and new system

6. 01 Conclusion • Visual Software • VBS2 and COTS technology is capable of producing wide Field Of View imagery • The VBS2 engine allows for highly detailed geo-specific terrain to enhance training value and levels of immersion by supporting mission specific training • The instrumentation method employed in the construction of the CCD allows for the rapid construction of any instruments, either from manufacturer CAD (Computer Aided Design) drawings or as in the case of the CCD hand drawn from photographic imagery using an industry standard 3D modelling package

7. 01 Technology Advances • Hardware • The development of COTS hardware, specifically the continued development of GPUs (Graphical Processing Units), has driven the capabilities of the CCD • Market forces, specifically the driving force of the gaming industry, serve to continually push the capabilities of hardware as well as maintaining competitive pricing • Graphical performance during the early development of the demonstrator was also an issue. Since this initial period not only have the Nvidia GPUs reached a maturity but has been surpassed by competitors offerings • The gaming industry has also served to push development of the low cost motion platform used in this CCD

8. 01 Final Conclusions • Development Issues • Availability of hardware (specifically flight control grips) has been the main issue. Although there were grips available they were flight ready spares and as such could not be modified • Graphical performance during the early development of the demonstrator was also an issue. Since this initial period not only have the Nvidia GPUs reached a maturity but has been surpassed by competitors offerings • Development Insights • It is possible to create a targeted fidelity tactics trainer for support helicopters using COTS based technology at significantly lower cost than using traditional simulation methods • Development timescales using COTS based technology are dramatically reduced in comparison to traditional simulation methods

9. 04 Limitations • Highly modular design allows rapid response to new technology • COTS based hardware and software standards ensure longevity and continued support • Enables coherent tactics and mission training, at individual, team and collective levels, for numerous JHC platforms • Providing the ability to train crews on different platforms within the same training environment