|
Marine leadership and key civilian leaders attended an Augmented
Immersive Team Training demonstration at the Medal of Honor Golf
Course, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Oct. 14, 2015.
The
augmented immersive system brought the battlefield to the quiet golf
course. The virtual battlefield is complete with aircraft and
artillery to engage ground vehicles and personnel with no needs for
concerns such as safety, resources or availability of ranges for
realistic training.
|
Captain Jerry Feehary, the fires project officer for Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, calls for simulated fire during the Augmented Immersive Team Training demonstration for Marine leadership and key civilian leaders at the Medal of Honor Golf Course, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Oct. 14, 2015. The system provides a virtual battlefield complete with aircraft and artillery to engage ground vehicles and personnel with no needs for concerns such as safety, resources or availability of ranges for realistic training. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Justin Boling)
|
“This offers infantrymen the same realistic training
pilots have available in their advanced simulators,” said
Dr. Peter Squire, the program officer with the Office of
Naval Research. “It creates a 3-D virtual atmosphere laid
over top of the reality. It brings the capability to provide
live and needed training on demand.”
This is
accomplished by highly advanced software running on
commercial computers and using a Head Worn Display and
mounted computer, which speaks to a tracking system The
system also offers MK-19 automatic grenade launcher and
Mortar tube simulators can also engage virtual targets in
real time.
“A year ago I saw a
demonstration, and I saw potential,” said Maj. George Flynn,
the Infantry Officer Course Director. “It has been very
beneficial to call for fire training.”
According to
Flynn, during call for fires training in the past Marines
have to “use their imagination” to simulate targets and the
pressures of combat. This can fail to convey real stress
during a time, which could mean the difference between life
and death.
“(This technology) gives us more
opportunities to train and can be conducted anytime anywhere
regardless of weather, availability and with greater
repetition,” Flynn said.
The system requires the
training area to be mapped out to be effective. This quality
of visual is dictated by the amount of information provided
to the system. Vegetation and other obstacles can be added
to mapping data providing more realistic behavior from
virtual targets. Targets and their behavior can be
manipulated via a tablet, which allows custom made training
scenarios.
“I am here because I believe in this
system,” Flynn said. “It was a struggle in the past to get
training. Now we can us the system to fully replace elements
or supplement live fire exercise.”
The office of
Naval Research is passing on the system to be further
improved and developed by Marine Corps Systems Command, who
will partner with outside civilian technical industry to
make improvements on the system before its possible
integration.
“When you watch someone use the
simulation and then have to remove the system to check
reality, I know we were successful,” Squire said.
By U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Justin Boling
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2015
The U.S. Marines
|
Comment on this article |
