On The Right Track

ERA exhibited its VERA-NG training simulator during the Association of Old Crows Electronic Warfare Asia conference and exhibition being held in Singapore 29-30 January. Company officials told MONch that the training simulator serves two purposes; helping to train operators how to use the firm’s VERA-NG passive radar system, and also as a mission planning tool. In its latter role, the simulator can be used to assist the placement of the VERA-NG, for example, to ensure the user can exploit the system to its fullest effect.

Officials from the company continued that, while the simulator is programmed with all the appropriate parameters for the VERA-NG, it can also be programmed with the parameters of third-party passive radars and electronic support measures, once again for use both as a training and mission planning tool. The company says that the product can be procured to support training and mission planning for existing VERA-NG operators.

Alternatively, the simulator can be procured prior to a VERA-NG delivery to enable operators to become proficient on the system prior to the passive radar’s entry into service. Although the firm declined to provide specific details, it did mention that the training simulator is in service with some existing VERA-NG customers. Open sources state that the VERA-NG has been procured by Estonia, NATO and Vietnam with a total of seven systems being acquired by these customers between 2003 and 2011.

Dr Thomas Withington