Most Advanced Close-Quarter Battle Training Facility in the World
4GD has completed the installation of a new Level 2 SmartFacility training solution for the British Army’s 16 Air Assault Brigade – the service’s airborne rapid reaction force – the company announced on 8 March.
The combat training environment installation, which commenced on 4 January, equips 16 Brigade with the most advanced 4GD close-quarter battle training facility in the world. The Level 2 facility delivers a high-tech non-ballistic close-quarter battle environment for frontline troops. The new facility will incorporate the SmartFacility core capability, SimWall (Level 1), and 4GAV (Level 2), a state-of-the-art special effects video monitoring system and Intelligent Facility Management System (iFCS). The latter ensures the facility is compatible with 4GD’s recently-launched ECFECTUS, a tactical performance data collection and analysis system, and ACIES, an integrated reality system that introduces the synthetic world to the physical SmartFacility environment.
SimWall is a rapidly reconfigurable, non-ballistic modular panel system, which offers users thousands of room and building variations, all reconfigurable within minutes to suit a range of specific mission scenarios and training objectives.
4GAV is a unique special effects and video monitoring system that uses a combination of smoke, light (white/IR), sound, smell and environmental simulation (SFX) to immerse the user in a high-fidelity combat simulation. This interactive special effects system, controlled by an intuitive user interface, delivers either sensor-activated and reactive, or instructor-initiated effects, designed to heighten realism and replicate real-world effects on the soldier’s cognitive load.
Training missions undertaken in the SmartFacility are viewed and controlled by an instructor via an intuitive dual tablet display. The facility will also be equipped with a video feedback system for real-time and after-action review, to ensure maximum training effect.
“The rise of military operations in urban terrain has forced a complete rethink of how we train personnel to plan for, execute and win close-combat missions on the modern battlefield,” James Crowley, Business Development Director, 4GD, explained. “We have designed our SmartFacility to blend virtual and physical elements, so that teams can prepare for their mission in an immersive facility that reflects the ever-changing and highly dynamic nature of the urban battlefield.”
