CAE recently supported the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) participation in Coalition Virtual Flag 15, one of the world's largest virtual air combat exercises.
Hosted by the US Air Force, Coalition Virtual Flag was conducted in parallel with Exercise Red Flag 15-4 so that live-flying and simulated aircraft could participate in the joint, multi-national air combat training exercise. Aircrews from the US, UK, Australia, and Canada participated.
The RAAF's C-130J Full-Flight Mission Simulator (FFMS), located at RAAF Base Richmond in NSW, was the first ADF FFMS networked to the Coalition Virtual Flag exercise that included live, virtual and constructive (LVC) assets and entities. CAE supported the development, integration and testing of connecting the RAAF C-130J FFMS to the exercise through the Australian Defence Simulation and Training Centre (ADSTC) network, including support for security accreditation of the training centre facility. CAE also integrated and tested the Common Database (CDB) virtual gaming area of southern Nevada in the US used in the C-130J FFMS.
"Being able to virtually participate in Coalition Virtual Flag is a great example of the RAAF receiving training benefits that otherwise would have required significantly more time for overseas travel, as well as additional training that may not have been achievable using live aircraft," CO No. 285 Squadron, RAAF Wing Commander Nicholas Hogan said.
"Using our C-130J simulator, we were in a virtual equivalent of southern Nevada and participating in the exercise with other real and simulated aircraft as if we were there. The support and technical capability provided by CAE played a key role in the success of this training exercise for the RAAF, and provides the foundation for continuing to expand our live-virtual-constructive training opportunities."
Under Plan Jericho, the RAAF is outlining its plans and goals to increase the amount of LVC training it uses to recreate more complex mission training scenarios. See the August edition of ADM for more on LVC.
"Our participation in Coalition Virtual Flag 15 is a great demonstration of our intent with Plan Jericho and a good illustration of how the RAAF plans to train in the future," Wing Commander Tracy Douglas from Plan Jericho Team at RAAF Headquarters said.
See video of the exercise here.