-War Games or Battlefield Exercises?

15 April 2009

By Suzy Kilpatrick

Simulation in the military has come a long way since dice, floor maps and terrain boards. Now computer programmes allow a huge array of Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) effects limited only by available computer hardware.

It’s possible for soldiers to watch their colleagues, for example, blinking and hear the sound of themselves crawling over the ground avoiding hostile fire.

They can fire a Steyr at a target on the screen, hear the blast, and feel the recoil, all without using any ammunition. What started as computer games for children has now become a vital tool for developing and enhancing military skills around the world, including the NZ Army.

The Army Simulation Centres in Linton, Waiouru and Burnham are commanded by Linton- based Major Peter Curran. The centres offer a mix of different software and hardware options, depending on what training is required at each location. Army personnel from around the country also travel to the centres to use the training tools.

Some personnel may already be familiar with Virtual Battlefield, SteelBeasts, the Indirect Fire Trainer and, more recently, the Weapon Training System (WTS) which was installed in Waiouru in March last year. The systems use a range of hardware such as keypads, joysticks, binoculars, headphones, adapted artillery, speakers, small monitors and projected screens. All three Services use similar weapons, and in the future they may all use the WTS to practise and maintain firing skills.

The Army has invested heavily in this technology, and it’s paying off. For example, the WTS in Waiouru has saved about $12 million in live ammunition costs by replacing it with the virtual kind. But the benefits of the Army Simulation Centres are not just cost savings. “You can play a whole scenario. In some countries it’s normal for everyone to carry a gun – this doesn’t mean they are a threat. Simulation can help soldiers make better decisions faster in this kind of environment,” says MAJ Curran. “The options and opportunities are numerous. You can use night time scenarios during day time or simulate bad weather when the sun is shining. You can fire weapons that the NZ Army only has one of or see vehicles that the NZ Army does not have. You can visit places on the other side of the world that are created so realistically, you would know your way around when you got there in person. There is the option to work as part of a team - taking orders from your CO and protecting your fellow soldiers, or independently. You can get killed or injured without any physical consequence, apart from perhaps a bollocking from your CO."

Just because in the simulated environment all these things are possible, it doesn’t mean they don’t need to be controlled. “We need user units to provide the C2 element to supervise activities, and scenarios must underpin the respective unit’s mission essential tasks – otherwise the training is pointless.”

Soldiers using guns at the WTS range need to show the same consideration for safety that they would normally. “If soldiers are allowed to adopt bad habits using simulated weapons there is a danger that this will translate into live firing and this is to be avoided at all costs. In real life ammunition and fuel is restricted and death and injuries are permanent. It’s about giving soldiers and commanders an understanding of their actions by putting them into a range of challenging life or death virtual situations that cannot otherwise be replicated in the real world. Training for operations is not a game and if you come to the Simulation Centre for training you’d better be prepared take it seriously,” says MAJ Curran.

At present, simulation training is optional and not part of core training for Army personnel. The ideal is for it to be integrated and combined with classroom work and training in the field right from the beginning of a soldier’s career.

“The value of simulation is exponential and the benefits of using it are significant and cost effective, so it is sensible for Army units to choose to use simulation tools as part of their core business,” says MAJ Curran. “We have been preoccupied with the technical part – the software and hardware – but now need to focus on the tactical application of simulation and start including it in training, as well as in instructor training. Some of the software can be burnt and distributed via DVDs – this means 24hr training is possible.”

MAJ Curran is confident that more simulation tools will be integrated into Army training. “I have a great team and excellent support from my chain of command. I am confident that the Army Simulation Centre will grow along with the Army, although ongoing investment will be needed as hardware and software evolve. Simulation is like a Porsche, which until now, has been kept in the garage; we’re going to dust it off, take it out on the road and see how fast we can make it go…”

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