The US Air Force is working to develop its Operational Training Structure (OTI) through the incorporation of LVC. Chuck Weirauch takes a look at the latest efforts to integrate the Live element into the LVC environment.
While US and joint training demonstrations have validated the concept of blended live-virtual-constructive (LVC)-based air combat training, the primary remaining challenge is the integration of virtual and constructive entities with front line aircraft Operational Flight Programs (OTFs) according to Michael Aldinger, Northrop Grumman manager of LVC Mission Integration.
Just how to “spoof” blue aircraft sensor systems into “believing” that the projected virtual and constructive entities they “see” on the training range are real adversary aircraft, missiles and ground elements and then showing them to the pilot of the aircraft on its screens and displays is the key to adding the “live” component to air combat LVC training. The means to accomplishing this goal is to modify the aircraft’s OTF so that it recognizes those projected false adversary virtual and constructive entities as what they were made up to be, rather than what they actually are. Multiple sources sending virtual and constructive false electronic entities into the range environment as adversaries can be added to increase the complexity and realism of the training exercise.
Tens of thousands of sorties are flown in Israeli Air Force simulators. Arie Egozi was granted special access to the training airbase, including a conversation with BGen Amnon Ein-Dar, Head of the Training and Doctrine Division.
Early this year, the canopy of an Israeli Air Force (IAF) F15 flew off when the aircraft was at 30,000 feet. The pilot and weapon systems operator managed to bring the damaged aircraft to a safe landing in a base in southern Israel. This after being exposed to extreme temperatures.
LtCol ‘R’, commander of the IAF’s connected simulators squadron, remarked: “They knew exactly what to do because they have been trained again and again in our advanced simulators.”
During a rare visit to the IAF’s connected simulators facility in the Hazor airbase (also known as Hatzor), I was able to briefly observe the uniqueness of this special squadron that has a major role in making IAF combat pilots among the best in the world.