D3A Defence Industry Team to Demo Mortar Training Solution

D3A Defence, MetaVR, Battlespace Simulations Inc and Minerva Simulation & Training will demonstrate a ‘bring your own mortar’ end-to-end virtual training system concept for mortar operations at DSET from 10-11 March, 2020.

The three-station ‘bring you own mortar’ concept demonstrator will be running throughout DSET 2020, 10-11 March, 2020.

The solution will demonstrate the power of distributed roleplay in mixed-reality (MR) virtual training environments with computer-basedtraining solutions that are easy to use and quick to deploy. The conceptdemonstrator will consist of three networked training stations, one for MortarFire Controllers (MFC) and/or Forward Observers (FO), one for mortar/artilleryCommand Post (CP) operators and one for mortar crew, integrated to enabletraining for mortar operations within a joint training environment.

The mixed-reality MFC station operator will be equipped within-service hardware representative binoculars and Laser Range Finders (LRFs) anda head-mounted display with visuals provided by MetaVR’s Virtual Reality SceneGenerator (VRSG). The trainee will be immersed in a 360 degree, MR  virtual world that allows them to interact throughVRSG while handling and operating hardware equipment in the real world. The MFCwill send fire missions to the CP and mortar crew via emulated radios.

The CP station will represent the mortar or gun line CP,enabling the management of fire orders, facilitated by a laptop runningBattlespace Simulation Inc’s (BSI’s) Modern Air Combat Environment (MACE)integrated with VRSG. Together, they will provide real-time ballisticinformation and replicate effects of fired ordnance accurately within thevirtual environment.

The mortar crew station will feature a physicallyrepresentative mortar fitted with specialist equipment provided by MinervaSimulation & Training. The mortar will be integrated into the virtualenvironment so that firings are replicated in the virtual environment withaccurate falls of shot.

The demonstration scenario will take place in a commonvirtual world shared by all three operators rendered by VRSG. Thehigh-resolution geospecific 3D terrain built in MetaVR Terrain Tools for EsriArcGIS is rendered in MetaVR’s Metadesic format, to enable trainees to conductchallenging exercises within a dense Middle Eastern urban area.

Designed to enable flexible, quick-deploy trainingcapabilities for mortar operations, the solution can be packed and transportedin a single two-man portable ruggedized case, with all the equipment needed toset-up and run training scenarios within minutes. The live mortar system can befulfilled with any 81mm mortar weapon of the customer’s choosing.

Scott Winter, Chief Technology Officer & Head of IRaD,D3A Defence, said: “One of the biggest challenges we currently see in themilitary training market is the ‘Chinese whisper’ effect that creates asignificant disconnect between military requirements and industryinterpretations of system requirements, which often results in personneltraining on equipment that does not reflect real-world hardware or operationalscenarios.

“Our approach here is to demonstrate that the use ofmixed-reality virtual training environments can deliver simple trainingsolutions using off-the-shelf products that are easy to use and do what theyneed to do to prepare personnel for the battlefield.”

Scott Winter will be presenting on the system during Day 2of the DSET conference, describing the system and its advantages.Demonstrations of the system will be available on the D3A stand (on the groundfloor in the sports bar area) throughout the event.

Image: The three-station ‘bring you own mortar’ conceptdemonstrator will be running throughout DSET 2020, 10-11 March, 2020.