Joint Training Centre on the move

Steady progress has been made in implementing Joint Combined Training Centre in readiness for Exercise Talisman Sabre next year.
Joint training with US forces was at the forefront of consultations then-Defence Minister Robert Hill had with his US counterpart, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, back in July 2004. That concept, which envisaged Australian defence training centres at Shoalwater Bay in Queensland along with the new Bradshaw Training Area and Delamere Weapons Range in the Northern Territory upgraded and linked to training centres in the United States, is now becoming an effective reality. Ultimately these ranges will be networked through a series of interoperable systems and interfaces, enabled by advances in information technology

All the centres will benefit from new technology to allow commanders to oversee exercises in real-time and replay missions in debriefs to personnel. Hill took pains to emphasise that America was not seeking to base troops in Australia, pointing out that permanent bases in Australia would be of no benefit to the United States. The Australian government would continue to own, manage and control all JCTC facilities located in Australia, he said.

"In relation to training, which is in many ways part of the same concept, we realise that we can further enhance the training of the Australian Defence Force through working more closely with the US and taking advantage of some of their more sophisticated instrumented ranges and simulation. They in turn feel that they can take advantage by using, when appropriate, some of our training facilities," he said.

The JCTC will also provide valuable assessments of Australia's operational preparedness and inform future capability development.

A mature JCTC should not be seen as a test range or even a series of ranges. The JCTC will function as a training system that links training management systems, training areas, simulations, headquarters and units. Links will be established with the US Pacific Command's Pacific Warfighting Center and the US Joint Force Command's Joint National Training Capability as part of the US Global Joint Training Infrastructure.

With a budget of $29 million and combined first and second pass approvals gained late last year JP2098, Joint Combined Training Centre (JCTC), is now on its way to providing a first class training environment, comprising dispersed simulation systems and enhanced range facilities at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area, in readiness for the major Talisman Sabre joint exercise next year. In doing so the project aims to:

* demonstrate the benefits JCTC can deliver for combined and joint training,

* meet US proof of concept requirements, and

* provide a persistent capability for ADF joint training.

The JCTC project team includes staff from US PACOM and JFCOM and is working with Talisman Sabre 2007 planners.

Training facilities
The design of the new Exercise Control building and Urban Operations Training Facility have been completed and the environmental compliance process has been completed in readiness for submission to the Parliamentary Works Committee.

The Exercise Control building will be located next to the current Range Control building at Shoal Water Bay Training Area. It has been designed as an exercise operations centre with 60 multi-network workstations in an open plan reconfigurable by the user. Three large screens will display the common operating
Modified ISO shipping containers will be used as portable and reconfigurable components of a new Urban Training Operations Facility (UTOF) that will enable military teams to train for defensive and offensive operations in an urban environment. As such the buildings will not be used for permanent occupation.

The facility will feature a fixed town centre with permanent buildings and a layout of mobile buildings based on the modified containers. The overall town will have various precincts around the town centre, designed to replicate various common urban landscapes such as industrial areas and low, medium and high-density residential areas. The shipping containers provide flexibility to meet changing user requirements.

The Urban Training Operations Facility is also designed to be capable of supporting the Army's live instrumentation system and will be compatible with the Army's Land 134 Live Instrumentation Systems (LIS) and the US Army's Initial Homestation Instrumentation Training System (I-HITS). Compatibility means soldiers wearing this gear can be tracked through the urban training facility by the host system. On completion of a training event, the action can be replayed and analysed to produce post action review by soldiers in the town centre, which also doubles as an open air theatre.

Simulation and support system
The JCTC is not all about facilities. The concept is to enhance joint and combined training using a networked approach. The network is an architecture that links training management systems, training areas, simulators, headquarters and units. The JCTC will be linked to US Joint National Training Capability (JNTC) through the Pacific Warfighting Centre (PWC) in Hawaii.

The network allows the interaction of live-instrumented training with virtual and constructive simulation (LVC). The LVC concept means that live instrumented land forces can train with live-instrumented aircraft, virtual simulators and constructive simulations. JP2098 will integrate the RAAF and USAF Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) systems to enable effects to be passed to the land LIS. It will also network the RAAF's Hornet Aircrew Training System (HACTS) and Maritime Warfare Training System (MWTS) simulators to the system as virtual forces.

Constructive simulation can be played through the simulation backbone from as far afield as the Joint Warfighting Centre (JWC) in Virginia, USA. Under the JCTC, live instrumented land forces can train with instrumented aircraft with simulated weapons that will produce immediate effects on the battlefield, along with the Hornet and Maritime simulators, and constructive simulations. Alternatively air and land forces can conduct exercises in a virtual world aided by constructive simulation.

The JCTC Simulation and Support System (SSS) is progressing well with initial builds and tests on schedule. It is being developed by the Australian Defence Simulation Office (ADSO) augmented with significant contractor support. The Simulation and Support System is being integrated in-house with additional contract deliverables from:

* Cubic Systems (live system integration)

* Raytheon Australia (F/A-18 (HACTS) simulator integration)

* Calytrix Technologies (Performance Management and After Action Review)

* Tenix Systems (EXCON Management Information System).

The JP 2098 SSS will be developed using four build cycles. Build Cycle 1 which is complete, involved moving elements of the current Joint Simulation Capability onto US simulation operating protocols.

Build Cycle 2 aims to ensure interoperability with US simulation systems and achieve proof of concept for the After Action Review (AAR) and elements of the EXCON Management Information System (MIS). Build 2 is being demonstrated at SIMTECT 2006.

Build Cycle 3 will focus on wide area network distribution, virtual simulator integration and will establish connectivity with key sites including the Maritime Warfare Training System at HMAS Watson. This build will be demonstrated at the Land Warfare Conference in late October 2006.

Build Cycle 4 completes JP2098 SSS development and delivers the completed AAR and EXCON MIS systems to the ADF Warfare Centre for use and testing during the run up to Talisman Sabre 2007. This build will be integrated into the US Joint Forces command demonstration on the floor at IITSEC in Orlando Florida in December 2006.

A reserve build (Build 5) is planned for early 2007 if development issues, not yet identified need further testing and integration. Either Build 4 or 5 will be demonstrated at the Land Exhibition being held in conjunction with the Avalon Air Show in March 2007.

JP 2098 SSS is a particularly challenging project bringing together technologies from the simulation domain, networking, AAR, EXCON MIS and C2 stimulation. While the project is not undertaking significant ab initio development, critical integration and testing hurdles exist. The build cycle approach aims to grow the system adding layers of interoperability and complexity as each new system is delivered.

To further challenge the team, a number of the systems targeted for integration are in the process of delivery (planned for 2006 or early 2007). These include:

* The Army Combat Training Centre Live Instrumentation System

* F/A-18 Simulator (HACTS)

* F/A-18 Air Combat Manoeuvre Instrumentation (ACMI) pods

The first hurdle is Build 2 and the associated demonstration at SIMTECT. The team is deploying to JFCOM in early May to undertake initial system interoperability testing. This will be followed by the deployment of a US technical team to Australia in late May for integration and interoperability testing in the week prior to SIMTECT.

At SIMTECT, LTGEN Hurley (CCDG) is delivering the keynote address. Members of the US JCTC team will be delivering presentations and tutorials on US systems and methods. On the floor the AS-US JCTC team will be demonstrating interoperability of the two national training systems. The scenario being used will display AS and US forces operating in a challenging urban environment (a conceptual mock up of the planned UOTF complex on SWBTA).

The forces in the scenario will have their performance monitored with feedback via the AAR system while the demonstration itself will be managed using elements of the proposed EXCON MIS. Limited C2 stimulation will also be on display.

By Tom Muir, Canberra