Land Warfare: Cubic integrates TS09 training instrumentation | ADM Oct 2009
Gregor Ferguson | Sydney
One of the interoperability challenges for both US and Australian forces on EX Talisman Sabre was integrating the training instrumentation used by the ADF and the US Marines' 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).
Both services use systems developed by US firm Cubic whose local subsidiary, Townsville-based Cubic Defence Australia, supported operations at the Urban Operations Training Facility (UOTF) at Shoalwater Bay and by the RAAF and US Air Force at RAAF Bases Tindal, Darwin and at Delamere Range.
The company was contracted to operate the Exercise Control (EXCON) system in the UOTF as well as setting up the instrumentation and carrying out ‘White force' and analytical tasks.
The US Marines and Australian Army use different EXCON systems and different laser effects harnesses to simulate the effect of small arms fire.
Cubic Defence Australia integrated both EXCON systems to provide the essential force-level interoperability, and integrated the Marines' I-HITS and Australian Land 134 laser harnesses to provide soldier-level interoperability.
Although manufactured by Cubic, both harnesses are built to different specifications, according to Cubic Defence Australia's general manager, Mark Horn.
The US Pacific Command (PACOM) brought 400 sets of I-HITS (Interim Homestation Training System) harnesses to Australia for use by the US Marines and Army; these are designed to be compatible with the earlier US MILES laser harness, while the Land 134 system is also interoperable with MILES, so it was possible to aggregate both inventories and use them seamlessly at the UOTF.
Adding to the complexity was the Army's existing inventory of TESS laser harnesses, also manufactured by Cubic (in fact by its New Zealand legacy firm, Oscmar), which also operates in MILES mode and was also employed on the exercise.
It was also possible to ‘mix and match' players, with two companies from 3 RAR joining the 31st MEU for part of the exercise, while Australian Federal Police (AFP) participants were equipped with I-HITS outfits.
One of the other key elements of Talisman Saber 09 was the air war being fought largely over the Northern Territory.
The RAAF deployed its Air Combat Manoeuvring Instrumentation (ACMI) system from Williamtown, NSW, and Cubic provided technical support as well as a temporary de-brief facility, and provided technical assistance to the US Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Joint Deployable Electronic Warfare Replicator (JDEWR) set up at Delamere for the exercise.
Cubic is the OEM for the ACMI system and integrated its instrumentation pods with the ground instrumentation infrastructure at Shoalwater Bay, enabling interactions between the two systems.
This connectivity was effected via the Joint Combined Training Centre (JCTC) and its Defence Training and Experimentation Network (DTEN).
The network is ‘owned' by the JCTC and rolled out to training centres and exercises on an as-needed basis.
It is also the recognised, accredited connectivity portal into the US simulation and experimentation environment.
Real success in simulation
Throughout Talisman Saber 09 DTEN supported a range of live, virtual and constructive simulations generated across Australia and the US and injected them into the exercise scenario.
Using open simulation architectures such as TENA (Training Experimentation Network Architecture) and HLA, ground based electronic warfare systems and virtual and constructive players, from UAVs to AC -130 gunships to additional F/A-18 Hornets became part of the exercise.
Integrating this type of instrumentation with Command and Control (C2) systems magnifies its value as a training aid, said Horn; it provides enhanced training value to both the troops on the ground and their commanders.
In the US, integration of Cubic's EXCONs with the US Army's FBCB2 system enables a filtered view to be provided to the ‘Blue' exercising force from a C2 platform such as C2PC, whilst a ‘White' Common Operating Picture is maintained on a constructive simulation platform such as JSAF (Joint Semi-Autonomous Forces).
The benefits of C2 system integration with an EXCON, said Horn, are increased situational awareness for exercise control; the potential to track more exercise participants, either by their C2 system feed or by their instrumentation feed; and the seamless transfer of data messaging, such as a call for fire support, through both systems.
Outside the surge in activity generated by EX Talisman Saber 09, Cubic Defence Australia currently provides operation and support services for the Army's Combat Training Centre -Live Instrumented System (CTC-LIS) at Townsville, which it also supplied; and the RAAF's Hornet ACMI system at RAAF Base Williamtown.
In addition, Cubic has an ongoing support role with the JCTC project.
The DMO accepted the CTC-LIS early last year and it has been used since then to enhance pre-deployment training for troops preparing for tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Its eye-safe laser and radio engagement system incorporates realistic audio and visual effects.
The CTC-LIS can track up to 480 exercise participants by GPS, display their location in near-real time on EXCON displays, and capture training events to enable replay, analysis and objective performance feedback.
The CTC-LIS is fully relocatable and has been deployed to other military and urban areas, training hundreds of ADF personnel.
It is highly interoperable with other live, virtual and constructive simulation systems, says Horn, including the RAAF's ACMI system, and can be configured to provide battlefield effects in complex urban environments.
JCTC does it again
The Joint and Combined Training Capability (JCTC) once again had a significant impact on the conduct of TS09.
The JCTCs Simulation Support Services team, provided by Calytrix Technologies, linked nine sites across Australia and integrated Live, Virtual and Constructive (LVC) forces from across the Pacific into the exercise.
Australia's JCTC and Calytrix's solutions continue to demonstrate world leading capability in the LVC domain and a number ‘firsts' were achieved as part of TS09:
• Utilising Link 16, constructive simulated entities were placed directly into the cockpits of some the participating aircraft.
While this was demonstrated during Pitch Black 08 this was the first time that the USAF had allowed such integration of constructive assets with live aircraft.
• A virtual AC130 Gunship, flown from Hurlburt USA was linked with live forces in Shoalwater Bay and constructive entities from Virginia.
Live forces wearing both the US and Australian instrumentation systems were impacted in real time by the vAC130.
• Bi-directional traffic was enabled into the US I-Hits and Australia's Land 134 instrumentation systems.
This enabled soldiers wearing the I-Hits and Land 134 equipment to be integrated in real time with entities placed in Joint Semi Automated Forces (JSAF).
• The Hornet Air Combat Training System (HACTS) wasn't acquired to be used as part of collective training but utilising a trial gateway developed by Calytrix, the HACTS was able to fully participate in the exercise for the first time.