L-3 Link Package Simulates Complex Urban Environments,
Intelligent Behaviors
Six additional Predator Mission Aircrew Training Systems (PMATS)
and associated support equipment were delivered by L-3 Link late
last week to two U.S. Air Force installations and one Air National
Guard site. Four PMATS units have recently been delivered to
Holloman Air Force Base, NM, in addition to one unit each to Cannon
Air Force Base, NM, and the Syracuse Air National Guard at Hancock
Field, NY. The systems support high-fidelity modeling of the
Predator MQ-1 and Reaper MQ-9 unmanned aircraft.
L-3 Link PMATS Control Center
"The Predator Mission Aircrew Training System is the highest
fidelity unmanned aircraft simulation system supporting any U.S.
military service," said Bob Birmingham, president of L-3 Link. "A
dynamic environment provides a large degree of variability,
enabling PMATS aircrews to conduct networked training across a full
range of mission scenarios."
L-3 Link has fielded a combined total of 23 PMATS units to the
U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard. Eighteen systems have been
delivered to the U.S. Air Force and five are installed at Air
National Guard bases. In addition, two systems are housed in L-3
Link's Binghamton, NY, facility to support system development.
PMATS replicates the mission environment that aircrews
experience during real-world operations. Each PMATS unit integrates
ground control station hardware with L-3 Link's simulation software
and geo-specific visual system databases to provide a fully
immersive training system. The synthetic environment simulates time
of day, winds, adverse weather and thermal effects that can impact
operations. All Predator MQ-1 and Reaper MQ-9 aircraft platforms,
sensors and weapons are modeled. The units are integrated with L-3
Link's Physics Based Environment Generator HD, which supports
simulation of complex urban environments, intelligent human
behaviors and interactions between entities in the virtual
world.
Each PMATS unit is also integrated with an instructor operator
station (IOS). The IOS enables operators to set exercise
conditions, insert malfunctions, communicate with the aircrew and
modify and control all aspects of the simulation. The IOS also
provides a role play capability for the mission coordinator, ground
crew and ground control approach operator. In supporting mission
brief and debrief capabilities, the IOS enables crews to observe
the simulated exercise they have flown and determine what areas
need to be corrected to enhance performance.