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24 Nov 22. Elbit Systems’ Simulation Infrastructure Becomes Cloud Native. A cloud native infrastructure enhances scalability and connectivity, while simplifying upgrades and maintenance. Elbit Systems transformed its OneSim™ simulation software infrastructure to be cloud native, and its services can now be delivered to authorized users from a Microsoft Azure cloud. Working closely with Microsoft engineers, Elbit Systems redesigned the architecture of the OneSim infrastructure to meet the requirements of cloud solutions and upload the OneSim to the Microsoft Azure cloud.
OneSim is Elbit Systems’ platform-agnostic simulation software infrastructure that provides land, air and marine users a complete solution for training systems, from a stand-alone simulator and up to multi-platform Mission Training Centers.
“We believe that going to the cloud is essential as militaries across the globe seek to scale-up their synthetic training capabilities, introducing complex multi-domain training and allowing location-agnostic, force-agnostic training sessions. Running a cloud-based simulation infrastructure can make it simpler to conduct joint training sessions, integrating forces of various types that are stationed at different locations” commented Alon Afik VP Training and Simulation at Elbit Systems. “I believe that having our OneSim simulation software infrastructure running on a global public cloud solution such as the Microsoft Azure, demonstrates our capability to run OneSim on any of our users’ private clouds” adds Mr. Afik.
Beyond the significant operational advantages the cloud native OneSim simulation infrastructure also greatly improves efficiency as it enables to simplify updates, upgrades and maintenance activities.
24 Nov 22. DroneShield and XRG Partner for Extended Reality Training. DroneShield has teamed with xReality Group Ltd (ASX:XRG) (XRG) to provide eXtended Reality (XR) based counterdrone/C-UAS training solutions. XR includes Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR). It combines physical and digital simulation across the enterprise, defence and consumer markets. The XR category for military and law enforcement is growing rapidly with the market predicted to grow US$16bn in 2027. XRG’s subsidiary “Operator Tactical Solutions” develops immersive planning, rehearsal and training solutions for the military and law enforcement markets, across local and international markets. XRG is led by Wayne Jones, who prior to establishing XRG was a highly decorated Patrol Commander with the Special Air Service Regiment. Additional information about XRG can be found at https://xrgroup.com.au/.
As part of the launch, XRG will be promoting the training solution at the I/ITSEC 2022 Exhibition in Orlando Florida, taking place November 28th – December 2nd. Additional information about the event can be found at https://www.iitsec.org/.
24 Nov 22. Omnia Training to bid for UK Army Collective Training Transformation Programme.
- Expected to start in 2025 and valued at £1.2bn over 15 years
- Utilising technologies that include synthetic training environments and state-of-the-art data and connectivity systems, the Collective Training Transformation Programme will enable the British Army to better prepare soldiers and commanders for operations to ensure the security of the United Kingdom.
Raytheon UK, in partnership with Capita, Cervus, Improbable Defence and Rheinmetall, announced today the formation of Omnia Training; an industrial team that will be bidding to become the Strategic Training Partner for the British Army’s Collective Training Transformation Programme.
The CTTP will deliver the Future Collective Training System – a technology-enabled training system that will serve as a surrogate for warfare. It will provide the British Army with the capability to better replicate the complexity of the modern battlefield in training, giving the Army the ability to train globally whenever and wherever it needs it.
Omnia Training’s partners have expertise that span complex programme management, enterprise transformation, collective synthetic training, digital platforms and data exploitation. It will work in collaboration with the Army to transform collective training and prepare soldiers for future challenging operational scenarios by creating realistic multi-domain environments.
The Raytheon UK-led team includes world class training transformation companies that will provide unrivalled expertise to deliver the Strategic Training Partner role for CTTP.
Jeff Lewis, chief executive of Raytheon UK said: “We are bringing together a team that has collaboration and innovation at its heart. Omnia Training embraces modern training technologies and methodologies that enhances the common training experience and is focused on delivering better training outcomes for the soldier and commander.
“At the heart of our collaborative approach will be the exploitation of data and connectivity across multiple training technologies,” Lewis said. “This combination will enable us to deliver a truly flexible and cutting-edge training environment and will help prepare the British Army for a range of scenarios that have traditionally been difficult to create on a training ground.”
The CTTP’s Strategic Training Partner will assume responsibility for the existing Army collective training system and infrastructure to deliver collective training, then work collaboratively with the Army to transform this into a fully integrated, flexible training solution and be responsible for continuously improving new army training capabilities.
Omnia Training Partner Quotes
Richard Holroyd, managing director of Capita Defence, Fire and Security, said: “We are incredibly proud of our track record in delivering technology-enabled, transformational training services for our Defence customers, which is already helping the UK’s Armed Forces to get better trained people to the frontline, faster. Omnia Training brings together an unparalleled team of expert partners with well-established relationships. We’re excited to be part of this collaboration and stand ready to deliver transformed collective training for the British Army.”
Alan Roan, managing director of Cervus, said: “It is refreshing that a small, medium enterprise like Cervus has been asked to be part of this exceptional team and we think that this is exactly what the CTTP customer has been asking for. We have watched the potential STP partners for several years, through the market engagement process, and have been gently testing their behaviours. Raytheon UK stood out as an organisation that always listened and treated us with a level of professional respect so, when they asked us to join the team, we leapt at this opportunity. A truly collaborative environment has been created within Omnia Training, where each team member can excel on what they do best and, for Cervus, this means providing soldiers with the game-changing exploitation of their training data”.
Joe Robinson, CEO at Improbable Defence, said: “Improbable Defence is delighted to be Omnia Training’s strategic synthetic integrator and proud to be among team members with deep experience in transforming defence capability and superb reputations for collaboration. With a mindset for innovation, we are renowned for our agile responses to user needs and delivering world-leading synthetics. Our track record is one of embracing new technologies and accelerating their provision into the hands of front line users. As a member of Omnia Training we will bring our expertise in rapid, flexible, low-risk development of a new class of synthetics, that embraces the best of industry, in order to deliver to the British Army the adaptive and ground-breaking collective training system they need to win on the battlefields of the future.”
Richard Streeter, Managing Director, Rheinmetall Electronics UK Ltd. said: “The Omnia Training team brings together a group of companies with significant depth of expertise and credibility as the Strategic Training Partner for the UK Army to deliver the CTTP programme successfully. This programme represents a huge shift and modernisation to the approach of training the British Army. With Rheinmetall’s global footprint and decades of managing complex synthetics design, integration and training capability delivery, we are delighted to be contributing to this fantastic Transformational Programme and addressing the challenges in the CTTP for the future British Army”
23 Nov 22. QTS supports tactical firing exercise between Dutch Army and Germany. NLD Army Ground-Based Air Defence (GBAD), STINGER Systems, and Germany’s GBAD systems took part in the exercise. Ateam from QinetiQ Target Systems (QTS) has supported a bi-national tactical firing training exercise at the Nato Missile Firing Installation (NAMFI) in Crete.
The exercise took place between the Royal Netherlands Army units and German air defence systems.
During the training and system proving exercise, QTS supplied the Banshee Jet 40 and Whirlwind products that served as airborne targets.
Royal Netherlands Army exercise director major Alexander Mac Lennan said: “The use of the QinetiQ team enabled us to train our combined bi-national air defence task force in a live environment, with multiple targets simultaneously airborne, and provided realistic threats that really tested end-to-end processes, including the actual launch of weapons. Their skill and excellent services allowed us to complete our objectives.”
The Dutch Army deployed its Ground-Based Air Defence (GBAD) and STINGER Systems for the exercise.
Along with German GBAD systems, these air defence systems practised firing against a wide variety of threats.
QTS’s products, which serve as surface and airborne threat representations, are used by several customers across the globe for various military applications, among others.
The range of QTS targets are used for training, testing, and evaluation purposes.
QTS field services director Rik Sellwood said: “This was a complex set of airborne target missions to put together and be delivered in a demanding technical and operational environment. The team is really pleased with the services that it delivered, and we are proud to have played a part in this highly important exercise.” (Source: army-technology.com)
23 Nov 22. Exercise Khanjar: British soldiers put to the test in the heat of Oman. Soldiers have put their desert combat skills to the test in the hot, dusty conditions of Oman. Exercise Khanjar Oman gave around 1,000 British Army troops – some of whom had never been to the desert – the chance to pick up new skills and train alongside Omani forces.
Training took place in the Ras Madrakah training area which is around 4,000 sq km – so big, every training area in the UK could fit inside it.
Lieutenant Colonel John Dunn, Commanding Officer, 2 SCOTS Battlegroup, Ex Khanjar Oman, said: “We’ve had soldiers fresh out of Catterick and we’ve taken the training slow but steady, working from the individual skills up through troop and platoon through to company and, finally, operating as a battlegroup.
“Equally, it allows us to work with our partners – the western border security force from the Royal Army of Oman – and we’ve learned a lot from them about operating in the desert, how to operate off vehicles which is a new experience for us.”
He explained how they had learned and sharpened many different skills.
“Simple things like navigation, how do you get around in a relatively featureless terrain, operating in such a way that you don’t degrade too quickly, so getting good shade up, how do you manage your water, your food,” he said.
Lieutenant Harry Brooks, 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery told Forces News about the value of the live firing exercises.
He said: “Traditionally a gun battery would have six guns, you see here we’re operating with three. That allows us to be more mobile. We can move the gun battery around and deliver effects as needed in a more mobile sense.
“We have a three-and-a-half-minute window from firing the guns to then having to move off position which is a pretty unique way of operating within the Royal Artillery.
“The live firing is, of course, where we get a huge amount of training value. We get to make things go bang and that is part and parcel of being in the Royal Artillery,” he added.
1 LANCS, based in Cyprus as the regional standby battalion, were in Oman to test their readiness.
Kingsman Samuel Reynolds, Anzio Company, 1st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, said: “We’ve come out here to attach onto 2 SCOTS and also the Omani Army and we’re working on attacking an urban village, working an urban environment.”
There will be two British Army Battlegroups deployed there twice a year going forward.
Why Oman matters to Britain’s forces
Oman, known by some as the Pearl of Arabia, is seen as a regional power balancer – ‘the Switzerland of the Middle East’ – able to remain on good terms with both Saudi Arabia and Iran, while also aiding peace negotiation in neighbouring Yemen.
UK forces have trained and, at times, fought in the country for decades.
Lieutenant General Sir Ralph Wooddisse, Commander Field Army, explained: “This is probably our strongest relationship in the region, if not the world, in many respects.
“My father fought with the Omani Army in the 1960s and I’ve been coming backwards and forwards to Oman throughout my career and that is, I think, representative of the strength of the relationship between our two nations.” (Source: forces.net)
21 Nov 22. RAF participates in multi-national air warfare training exercise in UAE. ATLC aims to hone the capabilities of participant forces in planning/conducting combined air operations. The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) has deployed its personnel and aircraft to participate in a multinational air warfare exercise in the UAE.
Also referred to as the Advanced Tactical Leadership Course (ATLC), the training drills are being held at the Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi.
Apart from the UK and the UAE, other participating nations include the US, Australia, Oman, French, Greece and German.
The deployed aircraft from the RAF include Typhoon fighter jets from RAF Lossiemouth, along with other specialists from across the service.
More than 500 personnel and 45 combat aircraft, including Tornados, Typhoons, F-16 Fighting Falcons and Mirage 2000 jets, from all eight nations, have been deployed for this training exercise.
UAE Air Warfare Centre commander brigadier staff pilot Khalid Al Marzouqi said: “This is the culmination of learning and looking ahead to real-world coalition flying.”
During the exercise, all the participant aircraft and forces will undertake various defensive counter, as well as offensive counter air manoeuvres and air interdiction drills in the airspace above the UAE.
The aim of the training scenarios is to train the pilots to operate in a wide range of combat environments.
Designed to increase tactical proficiency, the ATLC is a recurring exercise that allows the UAE and other partner nation forces to practice and hone their existing joint mission planning and tactical integration capabilities.
It will also allow the participants to develop and enhance their proficiency, interoperability and overall collective readiness to counter potential threats and conduct combined air operations.
UK Senior National Representative to the UAE wing commander Bradshaw said: “The RAF’s participation will be key in delivering coordinated, integrated, and effective training alongside our international allies and partners.” (Source: airforce-technology.com)
15 Nov 22. Royal Navy continues Operation KIPION long-term Gulf mission as warships HMS Montrose and HMS Lancaster trade places after four years.
The Royal Navy will continue permanently operating a major warship in the Gulf and Middle East after swapping vessels patrolling the region.
After three and a half years in the Gulf, Indian Ocean and Red Sea, frigate HMS Montrose has been relieved by HMS Lancaster, to continue a mission key to the UK’s – and international – prosperity and security, safeguarding merchant shipping, tackling criminal and terrorist activity including smuggling arms and drugs, and working with allies across the region.
HMS Montrose, which left the UK in October 2018 and has been operating from the Royal Navy’s Naval Support Facility in Bahrain since April 2019, soon found herself at the heart of global events when tensions in the region led to threats and attacks on merchant shipping.
They have passed through the Strait of Hormuz – the chokepoint which is the narrow gateway to the Gulf – on 111 occasions, accompanying 132 merchant vessels in the process: supporting the safe passage of hundreds of thousands of tonnes of shipping carrying oil, gas, cars, electronics and other goods.
When tensions subsided, Montrose spent the bulk of her time east of Suez working with regional and international allies and has frequently been assigned to Combined Maritime Forces; the world’s largest multi-national naval partnership, and specifically Combined Task Force 150, which conducts security patrols across vast swathes of the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea.
Since 2020, Montrose has seized over 16 tonnes of illegal narcotics over 10 busts, denying criminal/terrorist groups of proceeds worth at least £80m on the UK wholesale market and making headlines for the ship around the globe. And in a first for the Royal Navy, HMS Montrose twice intercepted boats trying to ship high-tech weaponry, contravening a UN Security Council Resolution, seizing surface-to-air missiles and engines for cruise missiles in the process.
“Drugs busts and interceptions really allow the ship to show what she is capable of – whether you are part of the boarding teams, an engineer, a chef, it almost doesn’t matter because everyone plays their part and everyone is filled with pride,” said Commanding Officer Commander Claire Thompson. “Thanks to media coverage these busts receive, it means family and friends are also aware of what we’ve been doing – and that’s really important.”
To sustain Montrose in the harsh Gulf environment, maintenance work has been carried out at local shipyards – including the new port of Duqm, Oman, where Montrose and Lancaster traded places – while every four months the entire crew of sailors, Royal Marines and aviators are swapped like-for-like with a second crew from the UK. Many of the crew of HMS Lancaster have previously served in the Gulf aboard Montrose.
The rotation of crew has spared the ship the month-long voyage to and from the Middle East at the beginning/end of a regular six or seven-month deployment, meant Montrose has been available for more operations, and allowed personnel to plan their lives with much greater certainty than other Royal Navy ships and operations.
“HMS Montrose is leaving the Gulf after four years away from home – I brought her out here as an able seaman,” said warfare specialist Lewis Turnbull, who’s since been promoted to the next rank, Leading Seaman. “I am proud to now be part of her last ever crew, especially being the most operational Type 23 frigate for so long. But we are also all looking forward to seeing her back in the UK for Christmas.”
Lieutenant Joe Stutchbury, who commands the ship’s Royal Marines detachment, said the time aboard Montrose had been a “unique experience” for his commandos, who’d been at the forefront of a string of drugs busts. “HMS Lancaster has some serious boots to fill as the next frigate deployed to the region,” he added. “As the national press have reported, HMS Montrose has made the biggest drugs busts in the history of Gulf operations – but I’m sure our colleagues will do their best to match our achievements and I hope they pull it off.”
Upon her return to Devonport next month, HMS Montrose will undergo maintenance before a final spell of operational duties around the UK early in 2023 and a ‘farewell tour’ – including a visit to her namesake Scottish town – before the ship is formally decommissioned in the spring after 29 years’ active service. (Source: www.joint-forces.com)
21 Nov 22. Franco-South African maritime exercise underway.
SAS King Sekhukhune I and Le Malin in Simons Town for Exercise Oxide.
The biennial maritime Exercise Oxide between South Africa and France commenced on Thursday 17 November with the arrival of Reunion-based French patrol ship Le Malin (P701) in Naval Base Simon’s Town.
Sharing a maritime exclusive economic zone (EEZ) border, France and South Africa share common objectives and responsibilities in the southern area of the Indian Ocean. The aim of the exercise is to enhance co-operation and operational interoperability between the two forces.
This year’s iteration, taking place around the False Bay area and the West Coast of the Western Cape, will end on 28 November. The exercise will comprise of various maritime exercises, the main objective being search and rescue. Other objectives include surveillance, disaster relief, hostage negotiations and releases.
Joint Task Force Commander, Captain (SAN) NK Goboza, explained that the objective for this year is to conduct joint Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) exercises “which is a current challenge to the maritime environment whereby we may be tasked to go and rescue a vessel that has hostages onboard.”
To this end, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) will be providing a vessel to act as a target for the exercise.
Goboza noted that continuously exercising together would make sure that were an incident to happen, both navies were “already in sync in terms of tactics, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and communications, we know who to call and what to do.”
The French Defence Attaché, Captain (Navy) AL De Lapeyriere, confirmed that this exercise afforded both nations the ability to test its interoperability as both nations face the same maritime issues.
“South Africa is like France, a nation of the Indian Ocean. (South Africa) is the most important partner that we have in the southern Indian Ocean,” De Lapeyriere explained. “We share with South Africa a common area of interest, but also one geographical area of interest, which is the southern Indian Ocean close to the EEZ of the French island Crozet and the South African islands of Prince Edward and Marion.”
De Lapeyriere continued: “We also share the fact that we are the only nations in the area to have a strong Navy with frigates with high level capabilities. Seen from France, South Africa is a very important partner (with whom) we want to improve our relations.”
Every year, up to six port visits are conducted by French navy patrol vessels. During the Covid-19 lockdown period, South Africa continued to provide replenishment facilities to French patrol vessels, allowing them to greatly extend their range into the southern Indian Ocean.
Exercise Oxide will be the second international exercise for SAS King Sekhukhune I (P1571), the South African Navy’s newly delivered MMIPV (Multi-Mission Inshore Patrol Vessel). Still undergoing Operational Testing and Evaluation (OTE), SAS King Sekhukhune I participated in Exercise Ibsamar with India last month.
Commander Jabulani Mashamba, Officer Commanding of the new MMIPV, says that the exercise is aimed at exchanging ideas, sharing experiences, and improving SOPs in terms of Military Police and the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the border sectors and patrolling the maritime environment.
This sentiment was echoed by Lieutenant Commander Paul Durand, Officer Commanding Le Malin, who said that he was “glad to be in the Joint Task Force” and noted that each country was keen to learn how the other worked.
The Exercise Director is Colonel Zanele Mahlangu, whose role is to oversee that the objectives are achieved by both France and South Africa. This is not her first naval exercise, as she was the Deputy Exercise Director for Exercise Ibsamar in 2018.
Other parties involved in the exercise are the Maritime Reaction Squadron (MRS) of the SA Navy, members from the South African Police Services and the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre. The South African Air Force has been requested to provide a maritime patrol aircraft.
Exercise Oxide has taken place every second year for the past 25 years, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the exercise had to be cancelled in 2020.
The next iteration of the exercise will be hosted by France and take place in Reunion. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
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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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