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04 Jan 22. InVeris Training Solutions Will Highlight Live-Fire Range Equipment and Virtual Reality Training at SHOT Show 2022. InVeris Training Solutions (booth #12454) will display its full range of live-fire and virtual training products at the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show) and Conference at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas, Jan. 18-21, 2022. The show will mark the debut of VR-DT (Virtual Reality – Decisions and Tactics). The fully immersive VR-DT enhances training for de-escalation, safety tactics, mental health crisis intervention, use of force and protocol.
“InVeris leverages more than 95 years of industry-leading experience for shooting ranges, and this year, with VR-DT, we’re going to be showcasing our newest immersive virtual training system as well,” said InVeris Chief Executive Officer Al Weggeman. “Between our live-fire and virtual solutions and our unparalleled combination of in-house military and law enforcement expertise, InVeris continues to prove and solidify its position as a premier provider of training, no matter your need.”
At SHOT Show, InVeris will feature its industry-leading shooting range equipment, including the XWT wireless target carrier, GranTrap™ rubber bullet trap, steel bullet trap, SafeZone™ shooting stall, and three Multi-Function Stationary Infantry Targets (MF-SIT).
InVeris will offer a key conference session at SHOT Show’s Law Enforcement Education Program (LEEP), presenting “Shooting Range Maintenance and Best Practices” on Tuesday, Jan. 18 from 10:45-11:45 a.m. in Lido Room 3001A, part of the Venetian Expo. Company representatives will discuss the importance of preventative maintenance for shooting ranges. Show attendees can register for this LEEP session at https://shotshow.org/leep/.
InVeris will also demonstrate the MF-SIT with LOMAH (location of miss and hit) at SHOT Show’s Industry Day at the Range on Monday, Jan. 17.
(Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
07 Jan 22. US-led multinational exercise Sea Dragon 22 begins. The US-led annual multinational anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training exercise Sea Dragon 22 has commenced in Guam in the Western Pacific.
The six Indo-Pacific nations taking part in the exercise include Australia, Canada, India, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, the Republic of Korea and the US.
US detachment OIC Patrol Squadrons (VP) 47 lieutenant commander Braz Kennedy said: “As [officer-in-charge] OIC, I am eager for the opportunity to further develop our partnerships with Australia, Canada, India, Japan, and Korea while at Sea Dragon 2022.
“The continued growth and increasing complexity of this exercise affords an opportunity to practice ASW tactics, techniques, and procedures with allies and partners that we don’t often get a chance to work with.”
The exercise, which mainly focuses on honing anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training, aims to enhance interoperability among the participating forces and response to regional contingencies.
It will include more than 270 hours of in-flight training and classroom sessions for pilots and flight officers.
The scope of the programme will include tracking simulated targets, as well as finding a US Navy submarine, developing plans and tactics involving the countries’ respective capabilities and equipment.
JMSDF Air Patrol Squadron 3 Flight Division 31 commanding officer commander Michiyama Tomoyuki said: In addition, through training, exchange of opinions, and various type of exchanges, we expect to strengthen cooperation and deepen mutual understanding among the participating navies and air forces.” (Source: army-technology.com)
07 Jan 22. HAL’s Intermediate Jet Trainer demonstrates six-turn spin flight. The trainer is designed to provide Stage II training for Indian Air Force pilots. India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has successfully demonstrated the Intermediate Jet Trainer’s (IJT) capability to perform six-turn spins. Carried out in Bengaluru, Karnataka, the spin flight test was performed by group captain HV Thakur (retired) and group captain A Menon (retired). Wing commander M Patel (retired) and group captain K K Venugopal (retired) served as the test director and safety pilot in command at telemetry, respectively. During the demonstration, the aircraft conducted both left-sided and right-sided six-turn spins.
HAL chairman and managing director R Madhavan said that the company ‘is capable of designing products that can meet any requirement of Indian Armed Forces’ with the ‘right resources and backing’.
Prior to achieving the six-turn spin milestone, the IJT was put through several flight tests. The company will now carry out further flights to help reach full spin certification. Designed and developed by HAL, the aircraft will replace the Indian Air Force (IAF) Kiran aircraft fleet and be used for IAF pilots’ Stage II training. The aircraft has already demonstrated its capabilities with regards to speed, altitude, satisfactory stall characteristics, limited armament capability and load factor. The IJT programme was temporarily suspended in 2016 when the aircraft moved off from its controlled flight. Following this, HAL announced that it will proceed with the programme using its internal resources. The company undertook a modification project to redesign the aircraft for the spin test. It moved the vertical tail aft and extended the rudder surface, as well as integrated a new anti-spin parachute system (ASPS). Flight testing recommenced in April 2019 and the company started the spin flight testing of the IJT in November 2020. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
07 Jan 22. Marshall Aerospace has agreed a contract with Air Navigation Solutions (ANSL) to provide a comprehensive Air Traffic Management (ATM) support package, centred around the provision of a simulator-based training solution for Air Traffic Control Officers (ATCOs) at Cambridge City Airport. The agreement will see ANSL provide a full-capability Air Traffic Control (ATC) Simulator on a temporary basis, as well as an instructor to join the Airport team on secondment to lead delivery of the training. Additionally, ANSL will provide Marshall Aerospace with a Manager Air Traffic Services (MATS) on an interim basis, along with wider compliance services in support of the ATM operation. Providing this essential simulator training will enable the Airport to continue to develop the skills of its trainee ATCOs in the current low traffic environment as it recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic. The initial focus will be on the stabilisation of current operations, followed by the extension of operating hours, making Cambridge City Airport a reliable and attractive destination for business and commercial aviation looking to operate into the wider London area. The programme delivered by ANSL will allow the Airport to expedite its ATC training plan by three years, whilst minimising the drain on the operational teams by complementing it with additional expertise and resource. Simulator training is an essential part of building trainee ATCOs’ experience as it allows them to practice managing different simulated levels of air traffic whilst actual air traffic remains low. It is an integral element of their journey towards becoming fully validated ATCOs at Cambridge Airport.
05 Jan 22. Introducing the XTAL 3 – The World’s Most Advanced Virtual & Mixed Reality Simulation Headset. Vrgineers, a leader in delivering virtual and mixed reality pilot training systems for professional and military clients, announces the launch of the XTAL 3 VR and MR headset, a game changer in enhanced pilot training. The newest XTAL has been developed in cooperation with a team of international Air Force pilots. Thanks to their input, Vrgineers has unleashed the potential of virtual reality simulations and paves the way for the next generation of mixed reality pilot trainers. Trainees and cadets can learn the crafts of avionics in the most realistic simulations available as the XTAL 3 brings the most true-to-life experiences with the first-ever pilot-dedicated headset on the market. The incorporated mixed reality technology allows pilots to see their hands and interact with instrument panels, learn proper motor skills, and practice standard procedures. The basis of this technology embodies two front-facing pass-through high-resolution cameras. The responses of pilots wearing the XTAL 3 in the simulated environment are nearly identical to real situations, teaching the decision-making processes required to gain air superiority. This was achieved thanks to the XTAL 3’s unique combination of high fidelity with a wide field of view, providing the highest level of immersion and situational awareness.
Moreover, the XTAL 3 offers an extended field of view of 180° horizontal and 90° vertical, currently the widest visual field on the market for professional simulations. In combination with two 4K resolution displays and a pair of 4K mixed reality cameras, it delivers an outstanding visual experience.
The combination of the proprietary Vrgineers lenses embedded in the XTAL 3, and advanced warping algorithms provide high fidelity undistorted images that can be enhanced by additional corrective lenses inserts. Thanks to this feature, pilots who would normally wear glasses can train without the discomfort of having their nose compressed while seeing a perfect picture.
The headset frame is made of lightweight compounds, ensuring comfort, and avoiding neck tension during mission training. The ergonomics were fine-tuned based on feedback from pilots to sustain multiple hours of training.
Even though the design of the newest XTAL 3 has changed, Vrgineers kept its recognizable curves and unmistakable shape. Furthermore, the company was able to significantly reduce the weight of the unit and equip the XTAL with proprietary inside-out tracking. This very convenient feature offers a pair of fast-switching infrared cameras positioned on the lower edge under the central cover. The XTAL 3 currently supports inside- out tracking, Optitrack, ART Tracking and Vicon. Vrgineers plans to integrate Lighthouse tracking later this year.
“The central cover of the headset is removable and reconfigurable, making it possible to change the headset from purely virtual to mixed reality, or replace inside-out tracking with ULTRALEAP hand tracking.”
CEO and co-founder Marek Polcak notes and adds: “We can assure all our clients that the XTAL 3 will be compatible with all existing and future technologies they might need while maintaining the highest levels of comfort and convenience.”
Additional functionality, such as a proprietary eye-tracking system with unique one-dot calibration for IPD (inter-pupillary distance) adjustment and foveated rendering are supported as well. The gathered information can be further processed and visualized in heatmaps to be utilized for behavioural analyses.
“Our new one-dot calibration removes the biggest obstacle to the wide adoption of foveated rendering technology. The major bottleneck has always been the time-consuming calibration process necessary before every use of the foveated rendering feature. The XTAL 3 calibration process uses unique one-dot calibration that creates a virtual mathematical model of the user’s face allowing us to calculate precise calibration formulas for eye tracking,” Polcak explains. The XTAL 3 brings multiple new features and advancements to the immersive realm and brings us one step closer to the Ready Player One experience. (Source: PR Newswire)
05 Jan 22. US Air Force’s 176th Maintenance Group opens VR training lab. The 176th Maintenance Group used squadron innovation funds from ARCWERX for the new laboratory. The US Air Force’s 176th Maintenance Group (MXG) has opened its new Virtual Reality (VR) Training Lab last month.
176th Wing Public Affairs member David Bedard reports that the lab gives the maintenance airmen a new way to acquaint themselves with maintenance processes without a physical airframe. To create the new VR training laboratory, the 176th MXG used ‘squadron innovation funds’ from ARCWERX.
ARCWERX aims to create a long-lasting innovation in the Air National Guard (ANG), which builds on the geographic distribution and individual Guardsmen talent.
176th MXG maintenance training manager master sergeant Bryan LoPorto said: “This is intended for a trainer to be a safety rep and stand behind him but also to teach while he’s going through the steps.
“It enables them to provide training to supplement what they would learn on the aircraft in an environment that’s less stressful.”
Until now, there are 18 modules that can be accessed by the VR lab.
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LoPorto said that the controls for the VR programme are easy to learn as it enables higher accessibility, thereby supporting a streamlined learning process.
Access is currently only available for C-130 modules. However, the long-term plan is to have modules on the other airframes.
176th MXG unit training manager technical sergeant Esdei Arurang said: “For someone like me that has zero maintenance experience, I can see how new troops can benefit from this training.
“It familiarises you with the steps in the [technical order] and gives insight into the layout of the airframe.
“It does this without waiting on a part of the plane to break or waiting for that task to come up. Ideally, 100 students can hop on from anywhere in the world, and an instructor can walk those students through the proper steps in real-time.”
The new VR setup is being used in training locations to address the trainer shortage issues throughout the maintenance career fields.
Upon the completion of the lab setup, The US Department of Defense (DoD) trainers can give students feedback and guidance in real-time. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
05 Jan 22. USMC conducts Iron Sky integration and operational mobility exercise. The exercise enabled the Marines to take part in an Expeditionary Advanced Base Operation. Members from the US Marine Corps (USMC) 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (3D LAR BN) have successfully taken part in exercise Iron Sky. 3D LAR BN is currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment.
The exercise, which is a joint integration and operational mobility exercise, allowed the Marines to take part in an Expeditionary Advanced Base Operation (EABO) in the Pacific region.
EABO is a kind of expeditionary warfare engaged in the deployment of mobile, low signature, as well as easy to maintain and sustain naval expeditionary force to execute sea denial, support sea control, and allow fleet sustainment.
The USMC is dependent on exercises such as Iron Sky to increase force protection and expand the Marines’ capabilities in the Pacific region.
USMC staff sergeant Robert Stauffer said: “We are testing the capabilities that we can take a small force to an isolated area and be able to secure it in a rapid manner.
“Our mission is to come from the defensive position. We are working off of limited information in an isolated area and seeing exactly how we are able to defend it.”
According to the USMC, the mission aligns with Marine Corps Force Design 2030 plan.
During the Iron Sky exercise, which was conducted for the very first time in the USMC history, service staff from different branches gathered in Japan’s Okinawa to depart to Wake Island.
Wake Island serves as a mid-Pacific refuelling stop for military jets and is also used as an emergency landing area.
The 3rd Marine Logistic Group 9th ESB combat engineer squad leader US Marine sergeant Henry Couch said: “Iron Sky is an exercise that has never been done before.
“It involves us determining whether or not there will be a simulated threat and being able to establish ourselves in a defensive position on a location in a rapid manner.” (Source: naval-technology.com)
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About InVeris Training Solutions
InVeris Training Solutions combines an agile approach with an unmatched expertise in training technology to design and deliver customized, cutting-edge, first-rate training solutions that keep military, law enforcement and commercial range customers safe, prepared and ready to serve – Because Seconds Matter™. With a portfolio of technology-enabled training solutions, and a team of 400 employees driven to innovate, InVeris Training Solutions is the global leader in integrated live-fire and virtual weapons training solutions. With its legacy companies, FATS® and Caswell, InVeris Training Solutions has fielded over 15,500 live-fire ranges and 7,500 virtual systems globally during its 95-year history. The Company is headquartered in Suwanee, Georgia and partners with clients in the US and around the world from facilities on five continents.
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