21 Mar 24. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has installed enhanced operating software into its Predator Mission Trainer (PMT) simulator that resides at GA-ASI’s Flight Test & Training Center (FTTC) in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The new PMT Plus software was developed jointly by GA-ASI and CAE-USA allowing international flight crews to train on the latest version of Operational Flight Program (OFP) software and as well as the latest capabilities including Automatic Takeoff and Landing Capability (ATLC).
“With this upgrade, our international customers can now train on the latest version of OFP for their fleets of MQ-9A Remotely Piloted Aircraft,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “For our MQ-9A customers, the PMT Plus will be an exciting enhancement for them, enabling cutting-edge mission training. In addition, the new software will enable us to efficiently upgrade to future OFPs to meet our customers’ operational needs.”
In addition to its OFP and ATLC capabilities, PMT Plus improves the visual graphics for conducting operationally realistic Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission training, including the addition of maritime entities. The improved user interface at the Instructor Off-board Station (IOS) allows instructors to add elements into scenarios more rapidly, either during a lesson or immediately before a lesson, which saves time and enables a more student-centric learning experience.
“Collaboration is critical to delivering efficient mission training at the point of need,” said CAE Defense & Security Group President Dan Gelston. “Our longstanding relationship with GA-ASI enables agile development and rapid integration so customers not only gain enhanced training capabilities but also benefit from efficiencies like a smaller hardware suite, which adds additional value.”
The enhanced software also reduces the PMT’s footprint, enabling a reduction in electrical and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) demand, while producing a quieter learning environment for students and instructors.
The PMT was purchased from CAE and has been a core component of GA-ASI’s customer training at the FTTC since 2020. The FTTC has been the centerpiece of GA-ASI’s customer training capability since its founding. In 2023, GA-ASI announced the opening of a new hangar at the FTTC specifically to support international crew training.
20 Mar 24. Preparations underway for Ex Ibsamar 2024. A recent flurry of ashore activity at SA Navy (SAN) fleet headquarters in Simon’s Town signalled earnest intentions for a multinational naval exercise later this year.
Flag Officer Fleet, Rear Admiral Musawenkosi “Kop” Nkomonde, received the Brazilian and Indian defence attachés along with SAN Captain SM Majozi, the designated exercise director for Ex Ibsamar 2024, ahead of the initial exercise planning conference for Exercise Ibsamar later this year. Indian Navy Captain Atul Sapaphia, according to Commander Leverne Nsibande, is India’s defence advisor to Eswatini, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe, with Marinha do Brasil Captain Rodrigo Mynssen Fonseca Dos Santos the South American country’s defence and naval attaché to South Africa.
The initial planning meeting held between 11 and 15 March for the eighth iteration of the tri-nation naval exercise led by the Joint Operations Division of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF), Nsibande reported, “underscored the commitment of all three nations” to making Ex Ibsamar 2024 a success.
The exercise is seen as a symbol of the shared Brazilian, Indian and South African commitment to maritime security, stability and freedom of navigation in the world’s oceans. “As maritime powers, these nations recognise the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing common challenges such as piracy, illegal fishing and maritime terrorism,” the commander wrote.
Ibsamar is testament to the growing strategic partnerships between the three participating countries. By leveraging each other’s strengths and expertise, Brazil, India and South Africa enhance their maritime capabilities and contribute positively to regional and international security architecture, the SA Navy said.
The successful execution of Ex Ibsamar VIII – with no date given as yet – will show the operational readiness of the three participating navies and provide for an exchange of best practices and boost co-operation and friendship. This extends to support elements such as the SA Air Force (SAAF), SA Military Health Service (SAMHS) and the SAN maritime reaction squadron (MRS).
The previous edition of Exercise Ibsamar took place in October 2022 around Algoa Bay, but there was no Brazilian participation that year. Also notable for the most recent edition was the participation of the first SA Navy multi-mission inshore patrol vessel (MMIPV), SAS King Sekhukhune I (P1571), which had been taken into service in May. Two more are joining the SA Navy fleet.
The South African Navy has already hosted one international exercise this year, with Germany, although on a small scale. Exercise Good Hope VIII took place in Saldanha on the Cape West Coast from 21 January to 6 February and was more modest than previous editions in scale due to real-world commitments affecting the German Navy’s ability to send vessels to South Africa and the South African Navy facing challenges in providing vessels.
The German contingent consisted of a Boarding Company from the German Navy Sea Battalion based in Eckernfoerde. The South African contingent was primary represented by the Maritime Reaction Squadron (MRS) including the Operational Boat Element, Navy divers, 13 Provost of the Military Police, and the SA Military Health Service (SAMHS). (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
20 Mar 24. U.S. Army Green Berets and North Macedonian Forces Strengthen Ties Through Joint Training. U.S. Army Green Berets with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) conducted a Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) exercise with Special Forces Battalion ‘Wolves’, Army of the Republic of North Macedonia, and Special Anti-Terrorist Unit ‘Tigers’, in order to strengthen military interoperability between the two NATO allies in Negotino, Republic of North Macedonia, from Jan. 29 to Feb. 22, 2024.
JCETs offer U.S. Special Operations Forces (USSOF) opportunities to train in regional environments from which they may deploy, while in exchange, the host nation’s special forces units receive the benefits of training with U.S. Special Forces personnel.
“This is our opportunity to practice teaching a partner force on unconventional warfare actions as well as the other principal tasks of a special forces team,” said the team commander with 10th SFG (A). “We bolster our fighting force by taking partners with us all the time [on operations], so this training is very beneficial for us to know how to train partner forces.”
A Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha (SFOD-A) team assigned to 10th SFG (A) was responsible for providing tactical training to the North Macedonia forces by training them on breaching techniques, bundle drops, demolitions, small arms weapons training and more. Although the team was focused on training, they had an opportunity to receive language and cultural exposure to North Macedonia society and exchanges in tactics.
An additional key task of this JCET was to build rapport with the partner force. The Green Berets immersed themselves within the North Macedonian culture and language, which provided them with the ability to communicate and move together in a more efficient manner.
Operators with Special Forces Regiment “Wolves”, Army of the Republic of North Macedonia, perform a helicopter extraction. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Evan Cooper)
“I’ve been in meetings with [the Wolves’ and Tigers’] command elements and was able to understand what they were saying, so it’s extremely beneficial to communicate quickly and efficiently,” said the team commander.
According to the DODI 3902.1, during JCETs, the exchange of knowledge, tactics and culture are the largest part of the desired outcome of the training. Likewise, these desired outcomes strengthen the strategic goals of the geographic combatant commander.
North Macedonia became a full member of NATO in 2020 after spending nearly 15 years of working towards full acceptance. During this time, troops from North Macedonia took part of various NATO missions, including the International Security Assistance Force and the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan.
“The USSOF community gets a lot of experiences from conflicts all over the world and with that knowledge we can have a chance to get updated information on battlefield tactics,” said team intelligence sergeant with Special Forces Battalion ‘Wolves’, Army of the Republic of North Macedonia. “This training is a great opportunity to learn of what’s new on the battlefield so that we can improve and adapt. The nature of war is constantly changing, so for this JCET we focused on some of the basic core components of tactical operations.”
The JCET conducted with the ‘Wolves’ and ‘Tigers’ included extensive training with the U.S. lead K-9 and advanced training with the USFOD-A’s team Intelligence Sergeant. The JCET ended with a three-day culminating event that incorporated training and tactics learned throughout the duration of the exercise.
“I loved working with the North Macedonian ‘Wolves’ and the ‘Tigers’, they are both great to work with and the nation as a whole is eager to participate with USSOF and NATO,” said the U.S. Team Commander. “I applaud their efforts to make this training work and their commitment to the overall exercise.” (Source: https://www.sofx.com/)