Junior officers in the Royal Australian Navy will learn to pilot the next generation of warships, in an upgraded $10 million training facility at HMAS Watson, Sydney, which was officially opened last week.
The new high-tech Kongsberg simulator uses computerised virtual-reality software to simulate a working warship’s bridge, complete with a 240-degree view of a computer generated 2D scene through the bridge windows.
The simulators replicate the full range of maritime operations likely to be experienced while on the bridge of a warship and can be reconfigured to match most classes of ship in the RAN’s current fleet.
New functionality includes boat operations, interdiction, and docking and beaching evolutions pertinent to the new Landing Helicopter Dock ships, the first of which is due to enter service in 2014.
An example of a complex scenario is maneuvering a 3,500-tonne warship within 2,000 yards of a number of other ships while under air attack, or ships within 50m of each other conducting replenishment-at-sea approaches.
With two full-mission simulators and four part-task simulators, the facility allows up to six warship bridge teams to train for specific scenarios in a joint exercise environment or, conversely, run six independent scenarios.
The graphics system can replicate different environmental conditions, from a clear day through to a raging storm, detailed land-and sea-scape features as well as dynamic models of aircraft, tugs and other ships, both current and future platforms.
Kongsberg Maritime Simulation & Training, Norway, provided the ship bridge simulation system.