Extended to Other Military and Civilian Aircraft

ARINC Engineering Systems, has been awarded the contract for an innovative Air Force program that trains air crews to recognize threats from the ground quickly and to react properly. The Visual Threat Recognition and Avoidance Trainer (VTRAT) is currently used by the Air Force Special Operations Command to train fixed-wing and helicopter crews. The system is easily adapted to train crews of any aircraft, including private jets and commercial airliners.

Designed like a flight trainer but far less costly, VTRAT creates views of ground threats as they would be seen through an aircraft window-missile firing or anti-aircraft artillery. Crew members are trained to recognize actual threats, and to respond through action or communications. The system records trainee performance and provides remedial exercises as needed.

"In the Air Force, all crew members have a primary duty to identify anti-aircraft threats," stated Dr. Lisa Billman, ARINC Engineering Services Senior Manager. "But in fact all military and commercial aircraft operators today share many of the same concerns. The VTRAT program responds to their needs by providing an effective visual training course which will provide a measure of protection if an incident occurs."

VTRAT was developed at the Air Force Research Lab Information Systems Training Branch, under a direct contract with Command Technologies Inc. (CTI) of Warrenton, Virginia. The VTRAT program has now been transitioned to the 311th Human Systems Wing, School of Aerospace Medicine, which will enhance the system's capabilities and expand its customer base to other military and civilian aircraft operators.

ARINC Engineering Services, along with CTI as subcontractor, will provide enhanced instructional content and customize the system's applications to a wider range of aircraft. ARINC will also integrate real-world lessons from current combat into the system to reflect actual field conditions.

The system uses adaptive training to teach trainees the required skills in small parts, and can operate fully automatically. It also has a provision for human instructors to guide lessons in a free-play mode. The state-of-the-art visual display simulates terrain overflight with several types of anti-aircraft threats such anti-aircraft artillery (AAA), various infrared (IR) and radar guided surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), as well as an example of small arms fire, rocket-propelled grenades (RPG), artillery flares, and multi-launcher rocket systems (MLRS). The system provides real-time simulated control of aircraft altitude, speed, and flight path, with dynamic placement and firing of threats under daytime or nighttime conditions. The simulation exercises are combined with intelligent tutoring developed by subject matter experts and cognitive psychologists.

The VTRAT system is currently used to train Air Force crews for a number of helicopter and fixed-wing platforms, and the Air Mobility Command has committed to extending VTRAT training to their flight crews.

FMI: www.arinc.com