Dornier: First Training Simulator with Virtual Reality for the German Air Force
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany---The German Air Force has received the first and most advanced training simulator with virtual reality for air-defense systems of DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG (Dasa/Munich).
Since 1997 this new "Trainer in Cyberspace" for the training on the STINGER air-defense weapons system has been developed by Dasa's Defense and Civil Systems Business Unit located at Dornier GmbH on behalf of the Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement.
The system will be operated for the first time by the ground combat support battalion in the East Frisian Wangeland-Hohenkirchen and guarantee an unprecedented training quality with a particularly high economic efficiency. This was announced by the company in Friedrichshafen on Wednesday.
During the training in virtual reality (VR trainer) both members of the air-defense team (team leader and gunner) wear special head - mounted displays. These represent a stereoscopic display of the entire battle scenario and according to the corresponding direction of view. The team partner is also represented as a synthetic figure. Furthermore, the weapons simulator as well as the view through the optical sight are presented to the gunner. This weapons simulator is completely identical to the original weapon with regard to design, weight and the entire handling.
The air-defense team is situated on the battlefield, so to say, where it has the task to identify and engage flight objects. All components of the scenario, i.e. sight, noises, all types of aircraft, effects (e.g. pseudotargets, time of day and weather conditions), the flight path of the STINGER missile and its detonation are realistic. The procedure may be trained in the same way as with the original weapon, since the functions of the weapons system and the seeker head are simulated in detail.
A major part of the system is the support of the instructors. The exercises are prepared, started and monitored at the workstation which is designed ergonomically. The instructor has access to a library of exercises, scenarios and procedures with different degrees of difficulty and may create new ones. All events are recorded during training so that they can be evaluated subsequently.
The entire VR system is integrated into a mobile, expandable container. Training is also carried out in that container. It is thus possible to ensure the permanent training of air-defense teams wherever necessary, even within the scope of out-of-area operations.
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Dornier: First Training Simulator with Virtual Reality for the German Air Force
