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08 May 20. Cubic Defence Australia secures Defence training contract. A Townsville-based company whose workforce is primarily composed of veterans, Cubic Defence Australia, has secured a $5m contract to deliver training services for the Australian Defence Force.
Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said the contract was for the first stage of the Integrated Training Environment (ITE) for Combat Training Centre 2025.
“Cubic Defence Australia will deliver a communications capability to support a blended live and virtual training environment for the ADF,” Minister Price said.
“Having visited Cubic Defence Australia with local MP Phil Thompson last year, I know they’re a very capable local company, employing Australians and strengthening our defence industry.
“This is another demonstration of how the Morrison government is supporting local businesses to keep the wheels turning during and beyond the critical COVID-19 period.”
Member for Herbert Phillip Thompson said he was proud to see another Townsville company benefiting from the record investment in Australia’s defence industry.
“I congratulate Cubic Defence Australia on ensuring our ADF has the modern operational training they need to defend Australia’s national interests,” he said.
“This advanced training environment replicates the complex and challenging environments of current and potential conflict zones.
“I know from experience that having the opportunity for realistic training simulations can make a real difference for Defence members when faced with real-life situations.
“This is another example of how our investment in local defence industry is creating new opportunities and more jobs for small businesses here in Townsville.”
The first stage of works will include new communications towers and the upgrade of existing equipment. (Source: Defence Connect)
07 May 20. U.S.-British Arctic Exercise Shows U.S. Concern for Region. A U.S. and British exercise underway in the Barents Sea highlights the importance of the Arctic region in a time of climate change.
“Three Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyers — USS Donald Cook, USS Porter and USS Roosevelt — are supported by fast combat support ship USNS Supply and joined by the Royal Navy’s HMS Kent to assert freedom of navigation and demonstrate seamless integration among allies,” a U.S. Navy news release said.
This is the first U.S. exercise in the Barents Sea since the mid-1990s, Navy officials said.
Climate change is affecting every country on the globe, and the U.S. military must adapt to provide defense, officials said. Whether it is increasingly dangerous floods, longer-lasting droughts, more and more powerful hurricanes, typhoons or cyclones, service members must change to operate and win in these new environments, they added.
Climate change is particularly fast in the colder regions of the globe, with glaciers and ice caps melting at alarming levels. That change means new operational environments.
For centuries, explorers looked for the fabled Northwest Passage from Europe across the top of North America to the Pacific. The straits and islands and bays still bear the names of Hudson, Frobisher, Ellesmere and Cook. Many explorers died looking for the water passage, but the Arctic ice cap was too large. It wasn’t until the early 20th century that Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole, navigated a small boat from the Pacific to the Atlantic.
But climate change has opened that possibility. The Arctic ice cap is shrinking, and there is the possibility that a route may open for at least part of the year. The Arctic region above Russia is seeing the same warming trend.
The first commercial ship to transit the Northwest Passage was the SS Manhattan in 1969. The ship — refitted with an icebreaker bow — was an oil tanker testing to see if the route would work for carrying Alaskan crude out of Point Barrow.
But ships without special fittings can now transit the passage. In 2016, the passenger liner Crystal Serenity sailed from Vancouver, British Columbia, to New York City using the route. It took 28 days.
In 2013, the first commercial bulk carrier transited the passage. The MS Nordic Orion carried a cargo of coking coal from Vancouver to the Finnish port of Pori.
All this presents new geostrategic challenges, said Navy Adm. James Foggo, the commander of U.S. Naval Forces in Europe and the commander of NATO’s Allied Joint Force Command in Naples, Italy.
“The High North is attracting global interest, with abundant natural resources and opening maritime routes,” Foggo said in an article in Defense One.
Russia — with its long coastline on the Arctic Ocean — is aggressively seeking to assert its preeminence in the region. The Russians recently unveiled a new icebreaker, the Ivan Papanin, that can carry Kalibr cruise missiles. “Who puts missiles on icebreakers?” Foggo asked.
Russia is also deploying surface ships and new hybrid Kilo-class submarines. “We’re seeing the Russians deploy more submarines in the North Atlantic, and these subs are deploying for longer periods of time and with more lethal weapon systems,” the admiral said.
The Soviets had outposts all along its Arctic coast. These were abandoned following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. But Russia has returned to Soviet-era outposts and built new military facilities above the Arctic Circle.
Russia at least borders on the Arctic Ocean. China calls itself “a near-Arctic nation” and seeks to assert its rights in the region. The Chinese are calling for freedom of navigation in the Arctic, even as they try to suppress that right in the South China Sea.
There will be more deployments and more exercises in the High North, Foggo said. “The Russians are operating with state-of-the-art nuclear submarines,” he said. “That said, we still have the competitive advantage. But they’re good, and getting better.” (Source: US DoD)
07 May 20. RBSL supports British Army with Rheinmetall Mission Master robots. Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) has secured a training and maintenance contract with Rheinmetall Canada to support the delivery of Rheinmetall Mission Master Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) to the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD). RBSL will provide training for operators and maintenance support for the British Army, who will use the vehicles in the UK’s Robotic Platoon Vehicle experimentation programme. The programme aims to determine the extent to which UGVs can enhance the British Army’s combat capabilities and effectiveness, especially for dismounted troops at platoon level. A new capability for the British Army, the Rheinmetall Mission Master UGV is a versatile platform that can perform multiple roles, from surveillance and protection, to reconnaissance, rescue, and firefighting.
The British Army will receive four of the ‘Cargo’ variant, which reduces the combat load soldiers have to carry. The vehicles can carry up to half a ton of supplies, tactical kit, or medical equipment and comes with two stretchers that can be easily attached in just 60 seconds to carry wounded personnel.
The vehicles can operate in autonomous or semi-automatous mode via remote control. They are amphibious, highly mobile across all types of terrain, and are integrated with an audio communication system. There are also modular storage compartments meaning the vehicles can be tailored to each mission.
Rheinmetall’s Mission Master vehicles have already been delivered to the British Army, the first order from a NATO customer. The contract includes a comprehensive training and maintenance support package from RBSL, including access to spare parts.
RBSL is a UK-based and independent joint venture business between Rheinmetall and BAE Systems. RBSL was launched in July 2019, and has a long-standing relationship with the British Army. Under different business names, RBSL designed and delivered many of the Army’s existing combat vehicles.
RBSL brings expertise and experience on wheeled and tracked vehicles, including the integration of complex subsystems into combat platforms. RBSL has also invested heavily over the last 10 years in autonomous and robotic vehicles, which will enhance the Company’s involvement in this programme.
Peter Hardisty, Managing Director for RBSL, said, “The current COVID-19 outbreak means that we are all finding ourselves in exceptional circumstances. We are therefore especially proud to offer the British Army continued support on its operations and this experimentation programme. The Rheinmetall Mission Master vehicles are testament to how the modern battlefield is changing, and we look forward to supporting Rheinmetall Canada and our Armed Forces with capability insights that will inform future force development.”
06 May 20. Naval Special Warfare Center Resumes Training, With COVID-19 Precautions. One of the toughest training courses in the military has reopened with Navy special warfare recruits adapting to operating in the time of coronavirus.
Navy Capt. Bart Randall, the commodore of the Naval Special Warfare Center in Coronado, California, said training for new maritime special operators, or SEALs, began again May 4 after being suspended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Randall made changes to the training regimen for special warfare personnel. Instructors will wear masks and gloves and use megaphones rather than yelling face-to-face. The number of students in a room will also be reduced, he said. ”Our classes will maximize bubble-to-bubble travel in order to limit personal contact outside of their training cohorts, and they’re going to remain on base until after the candidates complete Hell Week,” Randall said.
The students will be quarantined together, and their health will be monitored daily.
There will be no reduction in the standards that students must meet to become SEALs or special warfare combatant-craft crewmen.
“I am confident in our constant medical assessment that we have with these students,” Randall told reporters during a conference call. ”I’m not afraid to continue [to] train or, if conditions should change, I will pause training. Because the No. 1 thing to me is the health and welfare of these students.”
Students who come down with the virus will be pulled from the course immediately and go through the full medical procedures the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends, the captain said.
Right now, no one at Coronado has tested positive for coronavirus, Randall said. The center is part of the test protocol that gives faster test results.
Although 100 percent of the personnel at the center have not yet been tested, they are moving in that direction, Randall said.
The pause in the course should not affect the yearly number of special operators the center produces. The number of people who pass the legendary tough course varies from cohort to cohort. Yearly, only about 25 percent of those in the basic course qualify to become SEALs or special warfare combatant-craft crewmen. (Source: US DoD)
06 May 20. USAF 336th Training Group streamlines SERE training. The US Air Force’s (USAF) 336th Training Group is modernising Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) training. Several changes are expected to be made permanent. Currently, they are under review and the process is now being accelerated. As a precautionary measure to the virus outbreak, SERE training was paused for 14 days and implemented movement restrictions.
The SERE training paradigm will shift from a one size fits all approach to a flexible and more efficient one. The change in approach will adequately prepare forces for a high-end conflict that includes the incorporation of distance learning into the curriculum.
USAF 19th Air Force commander major general Craig Wills said: “These changes will provide more tailored training for our airmen while delivering them to their combat units more quickly. This is an exciting development that saves our most valuable resource, our airmen’s time, while preparing our airforce to better meet the demands of the 21st-century fight.”
Over a 26-day period, initial SERE training for airmen at high risk of isolation was conducted through four courses.
The training requirements will also be restructured, increasing efficiency and save time. The changes are being tested and proving to be beneficial.
USAF 336th Training Group commander colonel Carlos Brown said: “Reducing the length of the SERE training helps accommodate personnel’s needs, especially through this pandemic.
“We are professionalising our airmen through continued distance-learning education and getting after some long-term projects to modernise the SERE enterprise.”
Once approved by the USAF, the modernisation efforts will provide customised and targeted training based on an airman’s Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC). (Source: airforce-technology.com)
04 May 20. FMV Procures New Training Aircraft for the Swedish Armed Forces. The [Swedish] Air Force’s current training aircraft, the Saab SK 60, has many years of service, but now the government has given FMV an authorization to procure a complete flight training system for the first phase of the pilot training. This includes aircraft, simulators, safety equipment and maintenance.
Before the Swedish Armed Forces pilots flew Gripen, they had spent many hours side by side with an instructor in an SK 60, or Saab 105 as the plane is named in its civilian version. The twin-engined training airplane has been the basis of all flight training for pilots since the 1960s, now FMV is working to procure a new school airplane with associated equipment.
The Air Force is in great need of a new school airplane as well as all associated systems for training future pilots. The existing school aircraft, SK60, flew for the first time in 1963. Since then, much has happened in the aviation industry and in the Air Force, both in terms of technology but also how it is intended that future pilots should be trained.
“The procurement that FMV is now carrying out and which the government has authorized is a complete so-called Basic Trainer Aircraft system for the first phase of the training,” says Andreas Säf Pernselius, FMV project manager.
The goal is for the education system to be ready at Malmen in Linköping for the first batch of pilot students in the summer of 2023. And before that, flight instructors should be able to fly into the system.
“It is a very tight timeline but the Air Force’s clear requirement is that the system should be based on existing products and that there should be no Swedish special solutions. The supplier will also be responsible for maintenance for the first three years with an option for another two years. The idea then is to postpone the competitive maintenance contract,” says Malin Olofsson, strategic buyer.
It is a team effort to develop the documentation required for a competitive procurement of this kind. It is important that the bidders receive a good basis for their tenders, which also facilitates when we evaluate the tenders. This is stated by strategic buyer Malin Olofsson and project manager Andreas Säf Pernselius.
Quick handling
FMV has conducted feasibility studies at different times and with different intensity, conducted a market study via a so-called RFI and developed a basis for the procurement of a complete education system. Due to various reasons, the procurement has on several occasions been postponed in the future. When FMV received information that the government was close to deciding on the issue, a project team was quickly put together.
“We gathered staff from different areas of expertise within FMV. The team worked on compiling the procurement documentation such as the technical specification, the specification for the undertaking and the request documentation,” says Malin Olofsson.
The challenges during the completion of the tender documentation for the procurement have been to gather all stakeholders affected by the school aviation system, including several departments and competencies within FMV. The project also works closely with the Air Force’s representatives.
“Creating such a comprehensive foundation as we have now done is not possible without all the stakeholders from the beginning and that everyone has an open mind to the task and can handle rapid changes, it is best done together as a team,” says Andreas Säf Pernselius .
Facts
The parts that will be included in the contract and the contract are:
— aircraft
— flight safety equipment (helmets, mask, lifejacket, parachute, etc.)
— simulators
— Part Task Trainer (simpler PC type simulators)
— CBT (Computer Based Training)
— TLS (Through Life Support), engineering support for the product’s life
— aircraft maintenance (operational aircraft on the line and heavy maintenance)
— maintenance of simulators
The tender documentation will be available on the eAvrop website until 31 July 2020. FMV then starts evaluating the tenders that have been received. (Unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com) (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Swedish Defence Matériel Agency, FMV)
03 May 20. Boeing ramps-up Red Hawk testing. Boeing has two production representative jets, with a further five to join the programme under the EMD contract. Boeing has ramped-up flight trials of the T-7A Red Hawk jet trainer, noting its “busiest week ever” on 1 May. According to the manufacturer, the production representative jets (PRJs) flew 11 engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) test flights out of its St Louis production facility in Missouri.
Developed in partnership with Saab, the Red Hawk was selected under the T-X Advanced Pilot Training Program (ATP) to replace the US Air Force’s (USAF’s) Northrop T-38 Talon that has been in service since the 1960s.
With two PRJs currently flying, the current EMD phase of the contract covers the five further aircraft and seven simulators. Previously, Boeing’s partner, Saab, declined to say when the first EMD aircraft will fly, noting that “this is very sensitive information for the USAF”.
The announcement of the ramp-up of EMD flight trials came a month after Boeing and the USAF concluded the critical design review (CDR) for the ground-based elements of the jet trainer. The T-7A Ground Based Training Systems (GBTS) CDR was a five-day conclusion to 18 months of development work on the systems, and its completion paves the way for manufacturing to begin on the ground-based elements of the USAF’s aircrew training system. With the first of 351 aircraft set to be delivered to Randolph Air Force Base (AFB), Texas, in 2023, initial operational capability (IOC) is scheduled for 2024. (Source: Jane’s)
01 May 20. US Army Finalizing Plan to Resume Collective Training. The US Army aims to soon resume collective training and hold a ceremony for graduating West Point cadets after the success of measures safeguarding new recruits at training centers. In a Pentagon briefing Thursday, Army Secretary Ryan D. McCarthy said a proposed risk mitigation framework that outlines a safe return to exercises is being finalized with the help of the defense secretary and other services.
“As we balance global operations and combating COVID-19 on the homefront, the Army continues to need a manned, ready force,” he said. “We will continue to take the necessary precautions to protect the force, and we will enable commanders [with] the flexibility to make conditions-based decisions.”
Thousands of new recruits have moved through initial military training sites in the past few months, he said, while at the same time the Army has been protecting them against the virus.
Once recruits arrive, they are placed in groups and screened and tested for the virus, as controlled monitoring and tactical dispersion measures continue during their cycle.
“We are creating the safety bubbles that will protect the force while they conduct training,” Army Chief of Staff Gen. James C. McConville said, adding over 800 recruits were shipped to training sites last week.
The Army looks to replicate similar measures for home-station training and rotations at combat training centers. Gen. Michael Garrett, commander of Army Forces Command, said Tuesday that the newly-activated 4th Security Force Assistance Brigade is slated to be the first unit to train again at the Joint Readiness Training Center in June.
On Wednesday, McConville visited the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana, to see firsthand how it will safely receive units. “Getting back to collective training is crucial,” McConville said, “but we need to make sure we have the right measures in place first.”
Training opportunities, though, may vary depending on the threat of the virus at a specific location. “It’s not going to be a one-size-fits-all solution,” he said. “We’re looking at the long game. We’re not waiting for COVID-19 to go away.”
As the Army — including its efforts with national laboratories and private industry — works to find a vaccine, the general said the service will need to operate under a COVID-19 environment for some time.
“We can’t telecommunicate to combat,” he said. “Our troops need to be ready to go. And what we need to do as leaders is put the appropriate risk measures in place.”
Future Army officers will also need to be prepared for their first duty assignment. Graduating cadets at the U.S. Military Academy, for instance, are set to return to West Point, New York, to complete medical and administrative tasks needed for them to commission.
The cadets left the academy’s grounds on March 6 for spring break and have attended remote classes ever since.
“We have to bring the cadets back to start the process to get them to their initial duty assignment,” McCarthy said. “There are tasks they have to perform at the academy.”
The cadets are scheduled to arrive at nearby Camp Buckner, where they will be screened and tested for the virus. Afterward, they will return to their quarters for quarantine.
“While they’re at West Point, they will be [separated] the entire time,” Army Lt. Gen. Darryl Williams, the academy’s superintendent, said. “They will come back in five cohorts, [and] no cohort will intermingle while they are there for those 14 days. They’ll eat and live separately.”
While at the academy, the cadets will be able to complete physicals necessary for their branches, clearance requirements and collect any of their personal items.
On June 13, President Donald Trump is also expected to speak at their graduation ceremony, which will be held using safety measures, such as physical distancing. “We’ll do it safely,” Williams said. “We’re going to take care of them.” (Source: US DoD)
01 May 20. Royal Navy joins forces with the US in Arctic for cold-weather training. The Royal Navy has joined forces with the US to practise operations in the icy waters of the Arctic.
While many Armed Forces personnel remain in the UK supporting the current national fight against COVID-19, the ship’s company of HMS Kent are focused on ensuring we are prepared for future global threats.
HMS Kent joined two American destroyers, a nuclear submarine, support ship and long-range maritime patrol aircraft above the Arctic Circle this week to hone skills in challenging environmental conditions.
The Plymouth-based frigate, plus her Merlin helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron, is designed to help protect the UK’s nuclear deterrent and keep Britain safe.
For the exercise, HMS Kent has linked up with Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Donald Cook and USS Porter, fast combat support ship USNS Supply, an American P8-A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, and a US nuclear-powered submarine.
More than 1,200 military personnel from the two nations are involved – conducting key training in support of the UK’s Defence even while the UK Armed Forces are supporting the fight against COVID-19.
Commander Matt Sykes, the Commanding Officer of HMS Kent, said: “I am delighted for HMS Kent to have this opportunity to work with our US allies. Conducting an exercise in the Arctic Circle is a new challenge for the ship’s company whose dedication and professionalism in preparing for this exercise have been impressive.
“The challenges of working in this extreme environment should not be underestimated but HMS Kent’s presence here continues to demonstrate the UK’s commitment to the north Atlantic and high north. Finally, I would like to thank the friends and families of HMS Kent for their unswerving support throughout this period.”
Both the UK and the US are committed to ensuring no nation dominates the Arctic region, which is assuming growing importance in the face of increased activity and melting polar ice.
The Arctic exercise comes on the back of Anglo-US anti-submarine warfare training in UK waters just a few weeks ago, when the two allies linked up to help train future boat commanders undertaking the Royal Navy’s world-renowned Submarine Command Course – also known as Perisher.
It’s the second time in two months that the Royal Navy has tested its ability to operate in the challenging conditions off the Norwegian coast. In March, Kent’s sister frigate HMS Sutherland pitted herself against a Norwegian submarine.
Lieutenant Georgia Harding, HMS Kent’s Principal Warfare Officer for underwater warfare, said: “This exercise is the culmination of a high intensity period of anti-submarine warfare training that has seen a step change in HMS Kent’s readiness to conduct operations. Being able to work with US Navy ships, submarines and aircraft is an excellent opportunity to further hone our skills in a challenging environment.”
The waters are no warmer than 4 degrees Celsius; sea temperature, as well as salinity and various temperature layers play key roles in how effective sonar is.
HMS Kent’s operations play a key role in the defence of the United Kingdom. The Royal Navy continues to conduct essential training ashore and at sea in order to fulfil its critical outputs now and in the future. (Source: Royal Navy)
05 May 20. US Navy receives first CH-53K training device. The US Navy (USN) on 14 April took delivery of its first of three training devices for the US Marine Corps (USMC) Sikorsky CH-5K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter, according to a service statement.
The Containerized Flight Training Device (CFTD), built by Lockheed Martin in partnership with Veraxx, provides realistic cockpit or system displays such as visual resolution, tactile, spatial, audio, and functionality. It can simulate weather and other tactical environments while also connecting with other simulators for enhanced attitude control and other aircraft training scenarios.
The CFTD is the first in a series of new training devices being developed for the CH-53K. Delivery of the other two training devices, the Helicopter Emulation Maintenance Trainer (HEMT) and the Composite Maintenance Trainer (CMT), is also expected in 2020. USN spokesperson Megan Wasel said on 5 May that the HEMT provides the computer-based lab training platform for the development of maintenance skills that support first-level maintenance training. This device provides a three-dimensional representative environment instead of two-dimensional computer screens, she said.
The CMT is a medium-to-high-fidelity maintenance trainer based on the fourth CH-53K engineering demonstration model (EDM) aircraft to provide a training platform for the development of maintenance skills. Wasel said it will be used to train system familarisation, function, as well as component identification, removal, installation, and adjustment.
Lockheed Martin, the parent company of Sikorsky, is responsible for the delivery of the trainers for the programme as it is the prime integrator. Wasel said that Lockheed Martin built the CFTD by contributing many original manufactured parts, such as inceptors, digital computers, and collectives.
Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky also contributed the GENHEL Flight Dynamics model as well as the system integration expertise. Sikorsky developed the Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals (ITEM) and has provided them to the USN in order to facilitate maintenance of the aircraft. (Source: Jane’s)
04 May 20. U.S., and British Ships Conduct Anti-submarine Exercise Above Arctic Circle. U.S. 6th Fleet (C6F) conducted a bilateral naval anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise with the U.K., above the Arctic Circle, May 1, 2020. Four ships from two nations, a U.S. submarine, and a U.S. P8-A worked together, in the Norwegian Sea, to conduct training in the challenging conditions in the Arctic.
For the exercise, Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyers USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) and USS Porter (DDG 78), and fast combat support ship USNS Supply (T-AOE 6), were joined by the Royal Navy’s HMS Kent (F 78). Additionally, a U.S. submarine, as well as a P8-A Poseidon multi-mission maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) 4 supported the training. This exercise reinforces the combined training that the nations received last month while participating in the U.K’s Submarine Command Course (SMCC).
“For more than 70 years, 6th Fleet has operated forces across the region in support of maritime security and stability. Our regional alliances remain strong because of our regular operations and exercises with partner navies, and we welcome this opportunity to work collaboratively at sea, while enhancing our understanding of Arctic operations,” said Vice Adm. Lisa Franchetti, commander, U.S. 6th Fleet.
The multinational antisubmarine exercise in the High North, made up of approximately 1,200 Sailors from the U.S. Navy and Royal Navy, is the latest in a series of U.S. ships operating above the Arctic Circle. In 2018, elements of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group and the USS Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group operated above the Arctic Circle in support of NATO exercise Trident Juncture. In 2019, the forward deployed destroyer USS Donald Cook and a SAG from U.S 2nd Fleet led by USS Normandy (CG 60) and USS Farragut (DDG 99) also operated separately above the Arctic Circle.
“We are working with our partners to enhance our combined capabilities as we conduct maritime security operations and training in the Arctic region,” said Franchetti. “Our ships must be prepared to operate across all mission sets, even in the most unforgiving environments. This is especially critical in the Arctic, where the austere weather environment demands constant vigilance and practice.”
The United States is an Arctic nation and has enduring security interests in the Arctic Region. We work with our Arctic and European partners to ensure an open Arctic by continuing freedom of navigation and overflight through the region, as well conducting land, air, and sea operations required for deterrence, presence, and Arctic security.
C6F forces deploy throughout the European and African theater and continue to operate above the Arctic Circle to support a secure and stable region, working cooperatively with other nations to address shared challenges. The two U.S. destroyers, based in Rota, Spain, support NATO’s integrated air missile defense architecture. These forward deployed naval forces-Europe ships have the flexibility to operate throughout the waters of Europe and Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic Circle demonstrating their mastery of the maritime domain.
“One of the best attributes of our surface force is that we can aggregate at will, transitioning seamlessly from independent ships to coordinated operations,” said Capt. Joseph A. Gagliano, Commander, Task Force 65, commander, Destroyer Squadron 60. “Our interoperability with our allies is so good that we can deploy multinational naval forces with minimal notice. That’s the real power of NATO.”
U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa. (Source: ASD Network)
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Meggitt introduces the next generation of immersive training — the FATS® 180MIL.
Delivering 180° high definition projection and 5.1 surround sound, the FATS 180MIL increases training realism, heightening awareness and proper use of force responses. Three borderless screens fit into almost any space with at least a 10’ tall ceiling, providing a 150” X 84” (16:9 aspect ratio) borderless projection surface. It also includes:
- Military Validation – The same high-fidelity ballistic engine validated by the US Army, USMC and other military customers.
o Provides accurate ballistic characteristics in flight.
o Supports and enforces the proper fundamentals of marksmanship.
- Immersive Training – Supports both 3D Marksmanship and Judgmental training.
- Courseware – Delivered with full array of training courseware.
- Hit Detection System – Three digital cameras interface directly with Off-CPU real-time (OCR) processor used by FATS® 100 system for easy upgrade path.
- Projectors – Ultra short throw projectors provide freedom of movement, displaying stunning visuals in 180°environment.
- Low-Light Subsystem (optional) – Practice in simulated low-light conditions with hand-held and weapon-mounted flashlights.
- Rack – Uses same transportable rack as the FATS 100 system.
- Realistic Sounds – Self-powered audio system plays scenarios in 5.1 surround sound. Using directional sound effects board, the instructor can incorporate unsettling sounds from any direction, including barking dog, crying baby, gunshots and more to elevate situational awareness.
- Supports up to 60 simulated weapons, including FATS weapons and ammunition types. Up to 4 simulated weapons can be assigned to a single user.
With the FATS 180MIL, users feel they’re in the action, facing decision-making pressures while maintaining situational awareness.
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