“With the major contracts we’ve been awarded during the past 18 months, we’re thrilled to demonstrate some of the Meggitt systems and solutions the US Army, US Marine Corps and US Army National Guard will rely on for their training and simulation needs.” said Larry Raines, Vice President Virtual Systems Meggitt Training Systems.
Meggitt solutions on display included:
- The FATS® M100 small arms training system – showcasing open architecture that frees customers to readily integrate Meggitt and third-party training modules into their training programs. The FATS M100 accommodates evolutions in fidelity and graphic complexity for greater realism, integrating enhanced 3-D marksmanship, revolutionary intelligent coaching applications using wireless tablets, and VBS3-based collective training.
- BlueFire® wireless weapon simulators – provides the highest level of virtual realism while maintaining the same form, fit and function of live weapon counterparts. BlueFire® weapons are excellent choices for collective and judgmental training, operating via wireless Bluetooth® technology to communicate with the FATS M100 system, without cords or tethered operations hindering actions. Weapons available for demonstration at AUSA include the BlueFire M4, BlueFire M9 and tethered M240 machine gun.
- Live fire products – including a fully-functional MF-SIT pop-up infantry live fire target. Both the US Army and the US Army National Guard use a variety of Meggitt’s indoor and outdoor live fire range products for comprehensive weapons training.
Meggitt Training Systems employs nearly 400 people at its headquarters in Atlanta, US, and at facilities in Orlando, Canada, Netherlands, the UAE, Australia and Singapore. With facilities worldwide, Meggitt Training Systems provides live, 24/7 customer support and sales assistance to US and allied forces. The Company is divided into two segments, live training simulated training.
Meggitt Training Systems produces integrated virtual and live fire weapons training systems for the defence market
To date, the firm has fielded more than 5,100 virtual simulation systems, 40,000 laser-based weapon simulators (with 400+ weapon variations), 13,000 live fire ranges, and is deployed in more than 130 countries.
Solutions providing realistic training for the armed forces
Meggitt Training Systems provides solutions that offer realistic training for judgmental, marksmanship, crew and collective missions, as well as engagement skills, mission rehearsal, gunnery, convoy and armored vehicles, for armed forces, law enforcement and security organisations around the world.
The firm’s products have set the standard for simulation training and include the flexible FATS® M100 open architecture, providing intelligent integration of new simulation training advancements.
The FATS® M100 integrates with a wide variety of image generation sub-systems, allowing customers to specify a service wide preference and leverage previous investment.
This provides the use of common terrain databases, driving significant cost savings as they can be shared across multiple system platforms, including small arms trainers.
The inclusion of enhanced visual game engines, immersive 3D graphics, and Meggitt’s patented wireless BlueFire® weapon simulators allow for realistic training.
Wireless weapons for high-throughput training
Using a combined weapon and virtual simulation strategy, soldiers can train on small arms up to crew-served weaponry.
A flexible systems architecture for customized simulation training
FATS® M100 simulator series
“The FATS® M100 simulator series you will be shooting with supports multiple, simultaneous simulation and training modes using a flexible architecture that allows customization of Meggitt Training Systems’ courseware and systems. This allows the easy integration of evolving simulation technologies and software products unique to your training needs. Integration of training capabilities allows the use of commercially available image-generating software.” Larry Raines said.
A single system provides up to 24 weapons and multiple-hit detection channels for expandable training capabilities. The FATS® M100 comes pre-loaded with a broad set of courseware to support training with embedded courseware creation tools. Courseware may include CGI marksmanship (virtual range), High Definition video training, and integration of third-party, advanced gaming engines, including a 3-D Marksmanship Training environment, featuring Meggitt’s tetherless BlueFire® weapon simulators. This results in enhanced, realistic visuals and a perspectively correct target presentation that positively impacts the shooting and training experience. This system architecture supports training using the industry’s best and largest simulation weapons selection.
A flexible systems architecture
Because the FATS® M100 series allows for system customization, trainers have many options to support unique system requirements:
- Capacity for enhancements with multiple through-sight devices and multiple image generators
- Quick reconfiguration supports multiple training goals with the same hardware and software setup
- Can control up to six digital hit cameras and multiple image generators (IGs)
- Supports up to 20 different weapon simulators
- Full HD 1080P capable (1920X1080)
- Wireless tablet or mobile device control, providing individual lane control for self-paced training and immediate feedback on marksmanship skills
- Shot analysis screen display identifies users’ weapon aim points, shot location, and number of rounds fired.
- Lanes courseware supporting traditional range courses used for marksmanship training, enabling the creation of unique firearms qualification courses.
- Fully sensored weapon options
- Hostile Fire System (HFS)
- Night vision training
- After action review
Advanced reality training simulation
Through the FATS® M100 series, Meggitt offers an endless selection of advanced simulation systems to support joint training and combat readiness solutions in the live, virtual and constructive domain, with the ability to mix weapons during Lanes and Collective sessions. Contact us to discuss your requirements and allow us to create an immersive training environment supported by a unique simulator specific to your needs.
“Now you have the background, let’s see how you perform on our FATS live range!” Larry Raines said, handing the Editor a simulated M-16 rifle. “The M-16 is linked to a computer so I can see in live time how you are handling the gun, how you are aiming and how accurate you are!”
The Editor’s shots were shown in live time how he performed. The first missed the target but the second, after the Editor relaxed his stance and breathing was spot on target, it got better after that! All the shots and all the Editor’s movements can be stored in the FATS system for training reviews.
“This system would be just what we need for our Owning The Night Exhibition next year.” The Editor said.
“Let’s see what we can do,” said Larry Raines. “We have several portable systems in the UK and we could see if we could supply one for your event. We can provide a complete weather day/night scenario with windage and rain simulation along with night shooting scenarios during the day using a variety of weapons.”
Meggitt’s innovative BlueFire technology
Meggitt’s innovative BlueFire technology combines the largest inventory of weapon simulators in the world with the most ballistically accurate wireless smart weapon simulators in the industry.
Fully-sensored, convertible BlueFire weapon simulators provide the same accurate, real-time training diagnostics as tethered weapon simulators, featuring two-way, weapon-to-system communication and continual laser operation that only records when the trigger is pulled.
The operator controls the round management via smart software, allowing real-time sensor feedback for viewing weapon status.
Meggitt’s BlueFire wireless weapons meet the form, fit, function and accurate ballistics of live weapons without the full burden of maintenance and ammunition costs.
BlueFire weapons provide cost-effective solutions for high-throughput training, and tetherless mobility for a broader range of motion.
Not only is there a benefit from cost savings, but multiple studies have shown the value of marksmanship and full immersion training where personnel experience the same stress realised in theatre, all within a simulated training environment.
Wireless tablet control, after action review, and automatic coaching for real-time student feedback
Further enhancing the training, Meggitt’s wireless tablet control lets instructors control the training scenarios, providing student feedback in real-time. The tablet delivers immediate after-action review (AAR), allowing engagement and shot assessment in a 3D virtual environment delivering detailed trainee diagnostics for skill reinforcement and/or correction.
The detailed shot analysis, automatic assessment and coaching capabilities pulled from doctrine are instantaneously available on an individual tablet for trainee reference. This ‘automatic coaching’, founded upon collaboration with customer subject matter experts, coaches and trainers, brings consistent and instant training, based upon hard-learned combat experience.
Military simulation training for allied forces
Meggitt’s FATS® systems have been the longstanding training systems of record for the US Army, UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), US Marines (USMC), US National Guard, and the US Air Force (USAF), as well as the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force, Australia Defence Forces (ADF), Italian Army, Singapore Army, and Singapore Police Coast Guard.
Most of these are long-term relationships that have existed for more than 20 years with continuous engagement, resulting in multiple upgrades and training enhancements delivered to meet their evolving training requirements.
Meggitt recently secured the US Army’s Engagement Skills Trainer (EST II) and the US Marine Corps Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainers (ISMT) contracts, solidifying Meggitt as the global leader of advanced simulation systems.
The company continuously looks beyond today’s defence requirements and researches improvements upon existing solutions with evolving technology.
The EST II and ISMT systems will provide the most innovative virtual training systems developed to date, supporting joint training and providing combat readiness solutions for today and into the future.
(The Editor is a shareholder of Meggitt Plc)