Simulation Aids Surveillance Mission Planning.

The Gulf War and more recent conflicts in the former Yugoslavia have demonstrated the effectiveness of airborne surveillance provided by E-3A Awacs and E-8C Joint Stars aircraft. Indeed, the absence of such cover during the Falklands War cost the Royal Navy dearly and led directly to the development of a helicopter-mounted airborne early warning system

Important though the specific task of the Sea King AEW Mk 7s may be in the protection of British warships, the wider variety of tasks undertaken by America, Saudi, British, French and Nato Awacs aircraft have proven beyond doubt the value of more technically sophisticated airborne surveillance. But to ensure that crews are always ready to respond to real conflicts it is necessary for them to undergo regular simulated exercises in addition to airborne training exercises.

Recently the subject of a major upgrade, the Royal Navy Sea Kings are to be suppported by a full mission trainer developed by Alenia Marconi Systems together with the prime contractor, Thales. More often than not, suppliers of mission data processors and allied equipment for Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft offer the option of providing a training capability. This supports the ground-based mission crew training specified by the purchaser.

Growing Demand

The number of countries that have or plan to have an airborne surveillance capability is growing, Australia's long-awaited $ one billion plus contract for Project Wedgetail being a recent addition to the list. In 2006, the Royal Australian Air Force is to receive the first two of four airborne early warning and control aircraft based on the Boeing 737-700. To prepare personnel before these first aircraft are delivered, some training will be provided on RAF and US Air Force Awacs platforms and simulators.

BAE Systems Australia is among the companies supporting the programme and will provide an operational mission simulator. BAE Systems' training and simulation division (now part of CAE) had earlier been contracted to supply an E-2C Hawkeye operational flight trainer for the French Navy.

But Platforms are Getting Smaller

Boeing is said to anticipate a market for more than 50 Awacs aircraft based on the 737 fitted with Northrop Grumman's Mesa radar, while Embraer's EMB 145 seems to have taken over the niche that Saab once hoped would be filled by either the 340 or 2000 carrying an Ericsson Erieye radar. So there is going to be a steadily growing demand for training support in the form of simulation.

The lightweight and compact nature of the Erieye system enables it to be carried in aircraft substantially smaller that the Boeing 707-based Awacs, although as the latter is no longer in production, the B767 is the platform promoted in its stead. For the foreseeable future however, existing E-3 Awacs operators will continue to use the earlier aircraft.

To support US Air Force crews, Veridian Systems Division has developed the virtual training unit environment (VirTUE) to fill the gap between basic CBT and more expensive weapons systems trainers. Indeed, easily configured for individual or crew training scenarios, VirTUE can be loaded on a laptop or PC, so that crewmembers can hone their skills on any computer that runs Windows. The tailored version was implemented on 81st Training Wing hardware last year, while a JTIDS application was implemented in 1999.

Meanwhile, a realistic Joint Stars radar surveillance simulation has been developed by Northrop Grumman, and this is playing an increasingly important role in training 93rd Air Control Wing crews and US Army ground station operators. Called virtual surveillance Target attack radar system (Vstars), this simulation can help commanders and their staffs learn how to better exploit Joint Stars' potential as both a surveillance and battle management system.

Vstars has become part of the operational Joint Stars weapon system and its use includes distributed mission training. System users may access a high fidelity moving target indicator and synthetic aperture radar simulation on-board the E-8C aircraft. This results in realistic training and exercise participation and is the basis for the training system at Robins AFB. Vstars' operator displays and controls, system parameters, radar timelines and message formats are identical to those produced by operational Joint Stars equipment.

To reduce the pressure on the US Air force E-3 training aircraft, Link Simulation & Training is to build and operate a training facility at Tinker AFB. This is the first US Air Force training system to use the commercial-type aircrew training services approach and Link will lease the facility over a fifteen-year period. Student training will begin in July 2002.

Although the US Navy's EA-6B Prowler aircraft are to be retired in due course, they have proved to be an invaluable all-weather tactical support aircraft. Indeed, the aircraft's improved capabilities III upgrade was initiated only in 1998, so Prowlers will continue to play an important role. While Northrop Grumman is the prime for the upgrade, Comptek Federal Systems and PRB Associates have provided a reactive tactical jamming system and will include training among its support activities beyond 2004.

Boeing has become a major supplier and integrator of surveillance systems and its multi-mode radar simulator (MMRS) has been developed to provide real-time interactive air-to-ground radar imagery. Capable of operating stand-alone or integrated into a total simulation environment, MMRS in its Mk II version generates high fidelity radar imagery from real-world data.

MMRS is not dedicated to the replication of one radar type but can support a variety of radar sets and their unique operating modes. Moreover, it can be hosted on a variety of computer platforms to provide a wide range of radar effects.

Until recently advanced airborne surveillance systems have equipped mainly Nato and erstwhile Warsaw Pact forces but advances in technology enabling smaller platforms to be used have opened up the concept to many more nations. Although much of the gathered data can be downloaded to a ground station without the intervention of an airborne operator, training will remain an essential part of their routine activity. From CBT courseware to on-board simulation, the opportunities for certain specialist training providers are legion.