In-Flight Simulators Improve
Combat Training Skills

As combat training missions become more complex and expensive to fly, air forces are making every effort to make the best use of every minute of the mission. In-Flight Simulation is the buzzword for the new trend. A new In Flight Electronic Warfare Simulator (IFEWS), unveiled by BVR a member of the Elisra Group, fits almost any modern aircraft and helicopter, and can simulate threat signals, operations and tactics in flight. The signals trigger warning systems on board, and respond to pilot countermeasures and evasive actions. The system can evaluate trainees self defense procedures during simulated missions and rehersals on the ground, or during actual training flights.

In-flight training is also featured by other systems, such as the Aircraft Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI), and Helicopter Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (HCMI) offered by BVR and IAI/MLM. The new generations of these systems uses a network of standard aircraft datalinks, shared between all the elements participating in the exercise, in air, on the ground and at sea. Members share all the participant's positions, flight data, weapon's status and "health" for full reconstruction during mission debriefing at the squadron level or by the in flight, during methodic "pauses" in the action. Improved safety is an added feature of such systems, since position and flight data of each aircraft are available to all members, effective warning can be generated when two or more aircraft are in collision course or when dangerously approaching obstacles such as ground, electrical wires, antennae etc.

Sharing the real-time combat simulation network enable the reconstruction of real-time situation displays in the cockpit. Depicted as "virtual radar" display, which matches the target platform radar (F-16, F-15, Eurofighter, etc.). This radar functionality can be introduced accurately in trainer aircraft such as Tucano, PC-9 and F-5A/B, which cannot accommodate radar.

Another system introduced in such trainers is the non-drop bomb scoring system, which enables trainees to train multiple bombing runs with realistic performance and precision, accurately simulating the effects of pilot errors, such as unstable aiming, on "dry" practice missions. IAI/Lahav developed both systems for the USAF T-38 and Spanish F-5A lead-in trainer programs.

By Tamir Eshel