CAE has supported the Diamond Thunder distributed mission training exercise, which saw the RAAF network various simulation assets across the country as part of the new Air Warfare Instructors Course.
The exercise involved the networking of F/A-18 classic Hornet simulators at both RAAF Base Williamtown and RAAF Base Tindal with the E-7A Wedgetail simulator at Williamtown and C-130J Hercules simulator at RAAF Base Richmond.
The Joint Air Warfare Battle Laboratory at Williamtown served as the exercise command centre to manage and coordinate the overall virtual training environment.
Each of the simulation devices was networked simultaneously in the same virtual environment, with the Hornets, Wedgetail and Hercules tactical airlifters having to deal with threats such as air defence systems, ground-based radars and surface-to-air missiles.
CAE engineering staff at Richmond supported the integration and testing of the C-130J full-flight mission simulator on the Defence Training and Experimentation Network.
CAE also provided an exercise planner to assist with creating and executing the virtual training and mission rehearsal scenarios, and it had staff within the Australian Defence Simulation and Training Centre to assist with the provision of the networking infrastructure.
“Integrated [live-virtual-constructive] training systems are becoming more critical as military forces such as the RAAF look to expand the use of virtual training to cost-effectively prepare for their missions,” said Ian Bell, CAE vice-president and general manager for the Asia Pacific/Middle East.
