An armory of simulators

Soldiers Magazine, May, 2004 by Heike Hasenauer

ON May 10, 2003, Vermont National Guard officials dedicated the Readiness and Regional Technology Center at Norwich University in Northfield, Vt.

The $8.8 million building has more than 88,000 square feet of space and houses the headquarters of the 86th Armored Brigade, weapon and command-post simulators, and the Air and Army Information Operations Schools.

The weapon simulators include an engagement skills trainer, JANUS system and an M1 Abrams Full-crew Interactive Skills Trainer.

The EST allows Soldiers to "fire" virtually all small arms, including the 9mm pistol and the 50-cal. machine gun. It provides individual marksmanship, collective squad-level training and "shoot-don't shoot" scenarios.

Trainees "fight" against "enemy troops" that are projected on a screen. The system then records the number and type of rounds fired, and their accuracy.

The JANUS system provides battle-staff training for brigade, battalion, company and platoon operations. Soldiers receive immediate feedback on their tactical plans as they fight a virtual enemy. The simulator provides an almost infinite combination of virtual terrain, weather and digitized enemy forces.

The M1 Abrams trainer offers a wide range of scenarios. And it also tracks "fired" tank rounds and provides summaries of target hits for commanders and tank crews.

Additionally, a simulations network consisting of four M1 trainers, one M2 Bradley trainer and a Guard Unit Armory Device Fail-Crew Interactive Simulation Trainer, GUARDFIST-II, will be installed by mid-July.

GUARDFIST-II will provide simulated battlefield scenarios for the training of field artillery forward-observer tasks.--BG Eugene A. Sevi, chief of staff, Vermont Army National Guard