NSC and Atkins to devise British Army officers' curriculum
Working in partnership with military directing staff, NSC and Atkins’ training and analysis experts will develop and support a range of innovative computer-based instruction methods with the aim of sharpening the skills of students on the Service’s Captains’ Warfare Course.
The course is underpinned by a range of documentation and materials designed in conjunction with directing staff by Atkins’ training consultants.
Future graduates of the eight-week programme, which is delivered at the Land Warfare School (LWS) in Wiltshire, will be exposed to a state-of-the-art syllabus boasting a mix of simulation-based exercises, e-learning software and digital doctrine and drills videos provided by the Surrey-based company.
Simulated feeds from remotely-piloted air systems and computer-generated videos demonstrating an array of battlegroup tactics will be among the tools deployed to teach Army 2020 doctrine, exploit lessons learnt from previous operations and prepare personnel for future missions.
Those on the course will also benefit from NSC’s CONTACT – a real-time constructive simulation system that confronts commanders with the complexities of conflict. Already used to support the training of operations-bound command and staff officers, the simulation allows individuals or small groups of users to trial courses of action in a fully-customisable environment.
CONTACT’s simulated exercises and assessments provide instructors with the ability to pause, rewind and fast-forward the action to deliver instant feedback or encourage syndicate discussion.
Traditional decision-making exercises will be further complemented by professionally-scripted and presented television news reports, which will serve to recap key briefing information and chronicle unfolding events.
Furthermore, a NSC-designed virtual learning environment and inclusion of computer-based training modules on the new-look course will mean students can review material at their own pace and revisit subjects as many times as they wish.
The course began on September 30th and runs to November 22nd 2013, and will be validated and, where necessary, amended by Atkins consultants and LWS staff.
