Navy Today May 09 | Issue 143 - Royal New Zealand Navy

JOINT FORCES
OH 08-0144-15
$12 million in live ammunition costs by replacing
it with the virtual kind. But the benefits of
the Army Simulation Centres are not just cost
savings.
‘You can play a whole scenario. In some
countries it’s normal for everyone to carry a gun
– this doesn’t mean they are a threat. Simulation
can help soldiers make better decisions
faster in this kind of environment,’ says MAJ
Peter Curran, commanding the Army Simulation
Centre. ‘You can use night time scenarios,
or simulate bad weather; see vehicles of other
armies or fire specific weapons. You can visit
places on the other side of the world that are
created so realistically, you would know your
way around when you got there in person.’
‘Scenarios must underpin the respective
unit’s mission essential tasks – otherwise
the training is pointless,’ says MAJ Curran.
“Training for operations is not a game and if
you come to the Simulation Centre for training
you’d better be prepared take it seriously.”
Soldiers using weapons at the WTS range
need to show the same consideration for
safety that they would normally. If soldiers are
allowed to adopt bad habits using simulated
weapons there is a danger that this will translate
into live firing and this is to be avoided at
all costs. In real life ammunition and fuel is restricted
and death and injuries are permanent.
It’s about giving soldiers and commanders an
understanding of their actions by putting them
into a range of challenging life or death virtual
situations that can not otherwise be replicated
in the real world
MAJ Curran explains, ‘the value of simulation
is exponential and the benefits of using it are
significant and cost effective.
‘We have been preoccupied with the technical
part – the software and hardware – but
now need to focus on the tactical application
of simulation and start including it in training,
as well as in instructor training. Simulation is
like a Porsche, which until now, has been kept
in the garage; we’re going to dust it off, take
it out on the road and see how fast we can
make it go…’
ARMY RESERVES
GAIN AN INSIGHT
INTO NAVY LIFE
THE ARMY
simulation centre
By LT Jeremy Seed,
3 Auck North
Many in the Navy are familiar with our Bridge Simulator – a life size computer ‘game’ that
you step into and find yourself on the bridge of a ship. Now at the three main Army camps
there is something similar - but for the soldiers. Suzy Kilpatrick of DCG reports.
Simulation in the military has come a long
way - now computer programmes allow a huge
array of Computer Generated Imagery (CGI)
effects. It’s possible to watch your simulated
fellow soldier blinking at you and hear the sound
of yourself crawling along the ground to avoid
hostile fire. You can fire a Steyr at a target on
the screen, hear the blast, and feel the recoil,
all without using any ammunition. What started
as computer games for kids has now become a
vital tool for developing and enhancing military
skills around the world.
The Army Simulation Centres are in Linton,
Waiouru and Burnham. Many Army personnel
are now familiar with the Virtual Battlefield,
SteelBeasts, the Indirect Fire Trainer and, more
recently, the Weapon Training System (WTS)
which was installed in Waiouru last year. The
systems utilise a range of hardware such as
keypads, joysticks, binoculars, headphones,
adapted artillery, speakers, small monitors and
projected screens.
Because the same small arms are used
across the Navy, Army and Air Force, it is
therefore possible that all three Services may
use the WTS to practice and maintain their
firing skills.
The Army has invested heavily in this technology,
and it seems to be paying off. For example,
the WTS in Waiouru has saved about
Members of the ship’s company of
HMNZS Philomel could be forgiven
for thinking their base had been
taken over by the Army in February,
when fifty-five soldiers descended
on Devonport. The soldiers were
from the 3rd Auckland Northland
Battalion (3 Auck North), Royal New
Zealand Infantry Regiment, a Territorial
Force (TF) unit based in Grey
Lynn, Auckland. The officers and senior
NCOs of the Battalion marched
aboard Philomel for eight days of
instruction on the newly introduced
Army Leadership Framework and,
to complete physical competency
tests.
3 Auck North Commanding Officer,
LTCOL Chris Powell said Philomel
provided an ideal location for the
battalion’s training activities. “Philomel’s
messing, accommodation and
classroom facilities gave us an ideal
location close to our headquarters
and easy to travel to for our person-
After the battle efficiency test: LTCOL Powell, WOMM Mick OCarroll
(who proved he can keep up with the Army!) & WO1 Grant Payton
nel. The added advantage of a large
military establishment like Philomel is
that TF personnel snap straight into a
regimental mind-set when they march in.
That meant that with only eight days we
could fit as much training as we wanted
to into that time and we knew the team
would be motivated and focused from
day one”, said LTCOL Powell.
While the classroom- based activities
kept the Battalion’s command element
busy, they also took time out of their
training schedule to take a guided tour
of HMNZS Canterbury. The training
finished on 14 February with a Battle
Efficiency Test which saw the soldiers
march 12 km carrying full equipment
then undertake a series of physical
tests.
They marked the end of their Annual
Field Exercise with a BBQ. “AFE was
a resounding success and the hospitality
we received from Philomel’s
company went a long way to making
it the success it was. Living on board
enabled Battalion members to get
an insight into Navy life and culture
and this was the first time many of
our personnel had experience of the
Navy. Exposure to the Navy in this
way has had an extremely positive
impact and increased the understanding
and awareness amongst all
our attendees,” said LTCOL Powell.
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