DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG has delivered an advanced virtual-reality training simulator to the German Air Force. The system was developed by Dasa's Defense and Civil Systems Business Unit, located at Dornier GmbH, on behalf of the Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement.
During training in the virtual-reality trainer, both members of the air-defense team—the team leader and gunner—wear special head-mounted displays that provide a stereoscopic view of the entire battle scenario. The team partner is also represented in the display as a computerized figure. Furthermore, the weapons simulator and the view through the optical sight are presented to the gunner.
The simulation situates the air-defense team on the battlefield with the task of identifying and engaging airborne objects. All components of the scenario (i.e., sight, noises, types of aircraft, weather, the flight path of the STINGER missile, and its detonation) are realistic.
The virtual-reality trainer enables instructors to prepare, start, and monitor the simulation from a workstation. Instructors have access to a library of exercises, scenarios, and procedures with different degrees of difficulty and may create new ones. All events are recorded during training so that they can be evaluated subsequently.
Frank Bokulich
