The military has long promoted the adage “train as you fight.” However, live training exercises are costly and time consuming, which reduces their frequency. Simulation-based training has become widespread as a means to fill the gaps between live training events but even traditional simulation centres, with their full-time support staffs and heavyweight wargaming systems, are expensive and require months to plan, coordinate, and execute training events.
In order to meet the needs of today’s military staff, tactical training systems must be low-cost, low-overhead, and deployable, enabling training exercises to be conducted more frequently.
VT MÄK provides simulation environments that stimulate command and staff training systems; we provide the synthetic environment, including the military force-on-force scenario, plus the wider context of current events that affect the command staff as they work through training exercises.
MÄK has proven success using VR-Forces as the basis for Command & Staff Trainers (CST) and has served multiple types of customers using the low-overhead approach:
Also in MÄK’s arsenal of Command Staff Trainers is ECOSim (Enhanced Company Operations Simulation). ECOSim is a company-level training simulation that teaches leaders how best to deploy troops, UAVs, convoys, and other assets. ECOSim focuses on ease-of-use, rapid scenario generation, runtime operator control, and realistic & reactive human simulation. The fruit of a 5-year collaboration between MÄK’s DI-Guy, the US Marines, and JIEDDO, it is designed so that a Marine can be trained to operate the system in minutes.
The US Marine Corps Tactical Operations Group (MCTOG) uses advanced human simulation to model blue forces, oppositional forces, and civilian pattern-of-life to train captains prior to deployment in Afghanistan. ECOSim trains IED defeat missions simulating sophisticated human networks of opfor financiers, bomb makers, safe houses, leaders, and emplacers. These IED networks operate within a larger backdrop of ambient civilian behavior: farmers in fields, children attending school, families going to marketplaces and religious services. The Marine captain commands searches, patrols, and detentions, all while monitoring the battlefield using ISR data provided by UAS and stationary cameras. In addition, ECO Sim has a sophisticated report capability, mimicking the way Marines will actually convey and receive information in the battlefield.
In order to meet the needs of today’s military staff, tactical training systems must be low-cost, low-overhead, and deployable, enabling training exercises to be conducted more frequently.
VT MÄK provides simulation environments that stimulate command and staff training systems; we provide the synthetic environment, including the military force-on-force scenario, plus the wider context of current events that affect the command staff as they work through training exercises.
MÄK’s Military Training Simulation Solutions
Battle Command is MÄK’s low overhead command and staff trainer that allows combat commanders to practice their planning and execution skills within a compelling simulated environment. Built on top of VR-Forces, MÄK’s Computer Generated Forces (CGF) platform, this training simulation helps commanders develop warfighting skills by allowing them to plan the battle, fight the battle, and review the battle. In the planning phase, trainees produce graphical and text-based products to support their military decision making process. During this process, trainees collaborate on shared graphical overlays and text based plans. When trainees are ready, they run the simulation and fight their plan against other players or a computer-directed enemy.MÄK has proven success using VR-Forces as the basis for Command & Staff Trainers (CST) and has served multiple types of customers using the low-overhead approach:
- Battle Command 2010 – used by Army commanders and staff officers in the field to practice and teach decision-making skills.
- MAGTF-XXI – a tactical decision-making game that provides low-cost training opportunities for Marines stationed at bases, deployed, and at formal schools.
- QuickStrike – a desktop simulation that supports staff interaction with combat crews flying Air Force flight simulators, as well as individual student operations.
- Our CST customers include the US Air Force (ASOC), Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, the Dutch Army, Elbit’s Homeland Security Trainer, Rheinmetall’s Air Defense Operations Simulator (ADOS) program. MÄK continues to provide Battle Command and Quickstrike and is currently developing future generations of Command and Staff Trainers.
Also in MÄK’s arsenal of Command Staff Trainers is ECOSim (Enhanced Company Operations Simulation). ECOSim is a company-level training simulation that teaches leaders how best to deploy troops, UAVs, convoys, and other assets. ECOSim focuses on ease-of-use, rapid scenario generation, runtime operator control, and realistic & reactive human simulation. The fruit of a 5-year collaboration between MÄK’s DI-Guy, the US Marines, and JIEDDO, it is designed so that a Marine can be trained to operate the system in minutes.
The US Marine Corps Tactical Operations Group (MCTOG) uses advanced human simulation to model blue forces, oppositional forces, and civilian pattern-of-life to train captains prior to deployment in Afghanistan. ECOSim trains IED defeat missions simulating sophisticated human networks of opfor financiers, bomb makers, safe houses, leaders, and emplacers. These IED networks operate within a larger backdrop of ambient civilian behavior: farmers in fields, children attending school, families going to marketplaces and religious services. The Marine captain commands searches, patrols, and detentions, all while monitoring the battlefield using ISR data provided by UAS and stationary cameras. In addition, ECO Sim has a sophisticated report capability, mimicking the way Marines will actually convey and receive information in the battlefield.
(Source: VT MÄK)