Sea change in military training
Employing game-based technology, NSC has been awarded a contract to develop a ship-mounted generalpurpose machine gun (GPMG) simulator for use in trials to investigate novel training methods for Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel.
The innovative system – the first in the UK to utilise the latest version of Virtual Battlespace 2 – puts users’ fingers on the trigger of a deactivated GPMG as action unfolds on a three-metre radius curved screen.
With compressed air providing realistic haptic feedback and hidden electronics tracking the weapon’s every move, operators are exposed to engagements in an immersive surround sound, high-definition environment.
The portable simulator is capable of replicating scenarios ranging from defending against attacks from small, fast-moving vessels and supporting anti-piracy missions to port-based security taskings.
Environmental factors are also accounted for with weather conditions, solar glare, surface reflections and spray all affecting visibility and weapon performance.
