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Nitty-gritty: Practice makes the soldier
M ilitary technology has developed a great deal in recent times and modern innovations have taken root in defence systems. Military operations have become quite successful because there is an entire set-up of training tools and protocols working behind every operation.
Various new and advanced radar machines, weapons, security alert systems and training tools are playing a major part in defence systems. Plus, the advances made in computing have significantly affected the military community.
The military employs simulations to model various aspects of its operations within an operational area located anywhere in the world. Logistics, communications and the operation of individual systems and munitions (alone or in joint operations) are among the key aspects of military simulation.
The military defines any training which is not real as simulation. This has helped to categorize the simulations in three broad areas:
1. Live
2. Virtual
3. Constructive
Live simulation
Live simulation was depicted well in the movie Top Gun. Soldiers operated real equipment in fake encounters. In this type, the ground forces take part in same manoeuvres. Armoured and infantry forces put on laser gear and engage “enemy forces” in a non-deadly combat.
Such exercises help the troops to participate and experience the severity of living and working in the war-zone. It also shows them how to fight a well-trained reactive enemy.
However, live simulation is restricted to the terrain that can be found naturally at training sites.
Virtual simulation
This is similar to live simulation except that equipment is substituted by simulated mock-ups and the battlefield is created with the help of computers. In simulators, soldiers practice a variety of tactics, but at a much lower operational cost and with a greater liberty to take risks. The tanks used do not burn fuel, break down or destroy terrain, and therefore, decrease the expenses involved. The soldiers involve themselves in actions that are generally too dangerous to attempt during live simulations.
Since the battlefield is designed by the computer, it can be created to look exactly like the one on which the trainee expects to operate ultimately.
Both live and virtual simulations are used to train individuals in operating equipment. This equipment is in turn controlled by leaders in command posts who see the battle in more abstract forms.
Constructive simulation
This is also called war-gaming. Constructive simulation derives its name from the fact that the pieces operating on the battlefield are not individual tanks and aircraft, but a construction of many different types of equipment into a single aggregated unit, like an armoured company and an artillery battery. Constructive simulation allows the commanders to face different conditions and make decisions under pressure and limited resources, just as in actual combat.
It puts them in a condition where the opposite group is highly trained, experienced and focused on winning the war. Hence the soldiers get an opportunity to assess whether their tactics are workable or not. They also develop confidence to operate as a team.
The simulations are typically developed by a sponsor with an interest in any specific part of the combat environment. This gives separate models that portray ground, air, sea, intelligence and electronic warfare besides logistic operations.
Some examples of simulations are:
— Corps Battle Simulation (CBS)
— Air Warfare Simulation (AWSIM)
— Tactical Simulation (TACSIM)
— Combat Service Support Training Simulation System (CSSTSS)
— Joint Electronic Warfare / Electronic Combat Simulation (JECEWSI)
— Enhanced Naval War Gaming Simulation (ENWGS), and
— Marine Air Ground Task Force Tactical Warfare Simulation (MTWS).
The simulations are required to provide a ground where all the military branches are supporting and helping each other against the enemy. So it is required that all types of simulated units operate during a single training exercise.
This may be possible by producing a huge simulation that has everything, or by connecting the above simulations to a single virtual simulation. This has been made possible by the Aggregate Level Simulation Protocol (ALSP), which was designed to join all types into a single distributed solution to the problem.
However, the ALSP is not the only attempt to put simulated entities together in a virtual environment. People behind virtual simulations are forming the Distributed Interaction Simulation (DIS) project and a Joint Simulation System (JSIMS), which work to bridge the gap between the virtual and the constructive worlds.
Personnel
Workers in these projects can be divided into seven major categories. However, the project begins and ends with the customer, that is the military.
The first step is to design the simulation according to military requirements. Since the systems are computer-based, the next step is to gather the pieces that will create the hardware for hosting the simulation.
Then the system developers provide the operating systems, editors, configuration tools and other pieces of the development environment. After this, the simulation developers start to produce the simulation software. Finally, the operators put the simulation machine into action so that the soldiers get the feel of what the real combat would be like.
The framework
Most of the simulations contain a few basic parts regardless of their specific functionality. This includes a simulation engine, which produces the ground combat, air strikes, intelligence collection or desired naval manoeuvres. These are operated by orders from the training audience and their opposing forces (OPFOR). Mathematic algorithms, then, execute the orders to produce the combat events and their outcome. A review is always carried out at the end of the exercise. This allows sponsors to draw lessons.
Every simulation is run by the controllers who are responsible for starting, stopping and controlling the rate of advancement system. Then come the trainees, since the whole idea of simulation is to stimulate the trainee.
As military technology is becoming more involved, it becomes natural for simulation to invisibly connect to the trainee’s organic equipment and stimulate it directly.
Simulations seldom function alone. Rather, they mostly operate in the form of networks. It helps to join multiple simulations and perform the data transformations that are required to allow independently developed simulations.
With decreasing military funding available, personnel, time and other limited resources, reliable simulations have given rise to fresh opportunities. Plus, computer-based games might offer new and different solutions for extensive training between large-scale exercises.
The writer sabiha_essa@ yahoo.com is a student at the Fatima Jinnah Dental College
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