Using Low Cost PCs to Simulate Crew Stations for Team Training on T-72 Tanks and BVPs

摘要

This paper explains the development of team training standards, and the use of training simulators to conduct team training and evaluations. Over the past 20 years, the US Armed Forces has evolved collective (team) training to a goal oriented performance based system. The addition of full mission trainers and simulators has resulted in the ability to perform these evaluations and remedial training at the home station, reducing the cost of field exercises, and improving the value of the field exercises when they are conducted. The introduction of low-cost "Desktop" simulators and constructive simulations has further increased the opportunities for team training. In the fall of 2001, the Center for Ground Forces in Vyskov, Czech Republic opened with capability to exercise five manned vehicles (T-72, BVPs) in conjunction with additional simulated friendly (company level) and opposing forces. The Czech Military has enjoyed the benefit of this training capability with a number of brigades participating in at least one exercise over the past year. Desktop simulation has introduced affordable practice in command and control procedures, communications skills, unit leadership, mission and exercise planning, and command decision-making. All of this has occurred in the non-threatening environment of the simulation center and at a fraction of the economic and environmental cost of full field exercises.