Integrating international participants
Since its inception in 2015, Operation Blended Warrior (OBW) has taken on the challenge of providing the I/ITSEC audience with the latest issues associated with developing and sustaining live-virtual-constructive (LVC) distributed simulation environments. For OBW 2017, five presentations of 90-minutes each are planned.
Sponsors, returning for their third year are Rockwell Collins (Booth #2201), Cisco Systems (Booth #533) and Cubic Global Defense (Booth #1748), and a most welcome addition for 2017 is Bohemia Interactive Simulations (Booth #2235).
With the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Rockwell Collins and the VIKING-Coalition exercise team, the first step to integrate international participants into OBW is established. Since 1999, VIKING events, supported by NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT), are designed to prepare a multi-agency force (civilian, military and police) for crisis response operations. The OBW architecture has been expanded to include both US and Coalition networks and connectivity between the two is being enabled by Rockwell Collins who will be showcasing their mature, low-risk Multi-Level Security, Cross Domain network connectivity solution.
At I/ITSEC 2017, some of CAE’s latest training technologies and capabilities that help enable integrated, interoperable and immersive mission training are showcased. Demonstrations at the CAE booth include: Integrated Live-Virtual-Constructive (LVC) training developed and demonstrated i
In cooperation with Rockwell Collins, CAE (booth #1734) showcases Naval Combat System Simulators and remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) training systems, jointly demonstrating an integrated LVC mission training exercise. A live-flying Rockwell Collins L-29 aircraft is networked with a variety of virtual simulators and constructive forces to demonstrate an integrated, joint, multi-dimensional mission training environment. Virtual players include CAE Naval Combat System Simulators and RPA/UAS simulators in the CAE booth; F-18 and airborne surveillance virtual players in the Rockwell Collins booth; a variety of constructive elements representing enemy and friendly forces; and a white force mission commander managing the entire exercise from the CAE booth. For the third consecutive year, CAE is again featured prominently in the OBW LVC event, where the company is leading the maritime segment of OBW LVC. The CAE Naval Combat System Simulators (NCSS) being demonstrated perform an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) mission where the NCSS prosecutes an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The NCSS is also launching torpedoes at the enemy AUVs, as well as assisting other players in the maritime scenario by using its radar to provide situational awareness in locating hostile surface threats and missiles. Also during OBW LVC, CAE Healthcare is participating in an aeromedical evacuation exercise.
Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) will support OBW with both VBS3 – the flagship Games for Training programme for the US Army – and VBS Blue, the company’s new whole-earth rendering technology. BISIm’s subsidiary, TerraSim, will also support OBW through provision of correlated terrain for different runtime formats, including VBS3.
Boeing is bringing its F/A-18 low-cost trainer and InSight exercise control and monitoring stations to participate in the OBW LVC event and demonstrate its integratedLVC capabilities.
Lockheed Martin is showcasing affordable and scalable training solutions in the maritime and air domains.
In OBW, Pitch Technologies provides distributed simulation infrastructure, tools, and services to connect the Coalition (VIKING) networked simulation systems executing in Sweden, Brazil, and multiple booths on the I/ITSEC show floor.
During the first two years of OBW, a lot was learned about creating 7.5 hours of a running storyline and scenario. The past I/ITSEC experience has shown that the makeup of the audience comes from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and they bring a variety of interests and perspectives. Rather than focus on the scenario aspect, the goal for 2017 is to make OBW a learning experience. There will be Air, Maritime, Ground, Coalition and Cyber scenarios, but the real purpose will be to demonstrate various issues and challenges faced by the LVC community. To accomplish this, presentations around nine specific topics are showcased.
During each 90-minute presentation block, all nine topics are covered, but two will be emphasised as follows:
- Monday, 27 November, 1430-1600h Interoperability / Data Management
- Tuesday, 28 November / 1530-1700h Live Asset Integration (featuring live flight) / Cyber
- Wednesday, 29 November / 1000-1130h Coalition Support / Multi-Level Security
- Wednesday, 29 November / 1500-1630h Dense Urban Areas / Performance Measurement
- Thursday, 30 November / 1000-1130h Gaming Solutions / Interoperability
In addition, the VIKING-Coalition team will be doing additional demonstrations on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 1300h and 1400h in order to share their latest concepts as they prepare for their future exercises.
