says, “and the DMR [Deployable Mis- been converted to the sim — they to apply some other deadly force.”
sion Rehearsal] with two simulators have the same weight, feel, and func- Soldiers’ responses to the threat are
that allow a pilot and wingman to tion as the actual weapons system.” recorded by a computer, and the in-
practice together.” Because the DMR The weapons even use compressed structor/operator can escalate or de-
is deployable, says Wright, pilots can air to recoil when fi red, notes Carr. escalate the threat anytime during the
train almost anywhere. Because each weapon constantly sim. “The point is to train soldiers to
The F-35 will have cameras that reports its state to a computer, use good judgment and abide by their
allow pilots to see in every direction, after-action reviews can pinpoint rules of engagement for various sce-
and the full mission simulator will problems quickly. “We can do a shot- narios they encounter,” notes Carr.
mimic that ability, with a 360-degree by-shot analysis of what the soldier
view that puts them in the middle of has done,” says Carr, “whereas on Computerized convoys
the action. The simulator will feature a live range, the instructors have to The EST’s counterpart for mounted
much of the same software used in make a best guess about what’s been troops is the Virtual Combat Convoy
the actual aircraft, so by the time a done right or wrong.” Trainer, which comes in two different
pilot solos in the F-35, he or she will In Tactical Collective Training, types: an immersive environment sim-
have an intimate knowledge of every squads team up to face a host of chal- ilar to the EST and a simulator that
aspect of the plane. That’s especially lenges presented in computer-gen- employs a head-mounted display. “I
important because there are no mul- erated virtual environments that can can put you into a really dangerous en-
tiple-seat F-35s — on that fi rst fl ight, include deserts, jungles, rice paddies, vironment with either one,” says Pul-
the pilot will be alone in the cockpit. mountains, urban landscapes, and ford, “which lets you experience an
many more. “We can simulate simple extreme situation you normally would
Ground combat trainers dismounted infantry engagements not encounter, and do it in a very safe,
Although pilots might have been the all the way up to activities including repeatable training environment.”
fi rst to benefi t from the advantages tanks, armored personnel carriers, One advantage the head-mounted
of simulated environments, today and helicopter gunships,” says Carr. system has over the screen-based
even dismounted troops can gain “We even have jet aircraft involved in simulator, says Pulford, is being able
that advantage in simulators such as some scenarios.” to see what’s directly above you,
the Army’s Engagement Skills Train- One of the most challenging simu- something he learned to value during
er (EST). “We have about 700 ESTs lations is shoot/don’t shoot, says Pul- a tour in Iraq. “You want to make sure
out in the fi eld, and each of them ford. “It’s a real brainteaser, where there’s nobody on an overpass trying
can simulate 11 different weapons,” you have to fi gure out if someone’s to drop something on your vehicle,”
explains Army Lt. Col. Scott Pulford, going to pull a weapon on you or try he explains. [CONTINUES ON PAGE 116]
product manager for ground combat
tactical trainers at the Program Ex-
ecutive Offi ce for Simulation, Train-
ing, and Instrumentation.
Soldiers entering an EST are
presented with a panoramic screen
on which various scenarios are
projected depicting situations they
might encounter in theater. The
simulator provides three instruc-
tion methods: marksmanship train-
ing, tactical collective training, and
shoot/don’t shoot.
“The EST supports all the marks-
manship training tables prescribed by
the Army,” says Keith Carr, a former
fi rst sergeant with the 82nd Airborne
Division who now is a senior instruc-
tor for the EST at Fort Bragg, N.C.
“We use actual live weapons that have
PHOTO: DOUG SCHAUB, U.S. ARMY S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 8 M I L I T A R Y O F F I C E R 1 1 1
SSept_Simulators.indd 111ept_Simulators.indd 111 88/4/08 9:00:59 PM/4/08 9:00:59 PM
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140