Product updates deliver best-in-class training

We are particularly proud of VBS3Fires FST which, for the first time, allows an instructor to concurrently control the training of CFF and CAS missions with VBS3 from a single PC. We believe that this application has the potential to be the future of joint fires training and we are excited to be working with customers who share our passion.

Read on to discover how our developers are taking CFF and CAS training to the next level!

Warm regards
Adam Easton, CEO

• VBS3Fires FST 3.7
• VBS3Fires 3.7

• French Enterprise Licence of VBS3Fires and VBS3Fires FST
• VBSFusion 3.7

Other major feature improvements include:

Enhanced drawing of CAS aircraft paths

We have improved the graphics for all aircraft path displays within VBS3�s 2D map. This makes it easier for instructors to quickly identify aircraft behaviour and to distinguish aircraft paths in scenarios with multiple aircraft sections.

Pre-recorded aircraft paths

Instructors/pilots can now pre-record complex flight paths (through flying an aircraft themselves) and then force an AI aircraft to follow this exact flight path during an attack run. This capability can be translated between terrains so that the direction and position of the maneuver changes; other than that transformation, the aircraft will fly an identical profile to the way it was flown by the pilot.

Saving default Target Priority List settings

Users can now load previously saved Target Priority Lists (targets that may be engaged for each aircraft) as the default values.

Locking targeting pod to moving vehicle

It is now possible to point a targeting pod at a vehicle, and then lock the pod to that vehicle. The pod camera will then follow that vehicle as it moves.

Locking pod to pre-recorded points

Additional feature improvements:

• Aircraft flight dynamics and engagement ranges of missile types were updated for a more realistic simulation.
• We have removed the requirement for using "-scriptinterruption=0" when running VBS3 to run VBS3Fires FST missions.
• Additionally, we have made a swag of usability improvements to make the application more user friendly.

Enhancements to Call for Fire Workflow

We have two new exciting additions to the workflow which enhance VBS3Fires' capability as a CFF training tool. These are:

• Simplified CFF Workflow: This enhancement introduces a simplified version of currently available CFF transmission dialogs. It provides a more easy introduction to Call-For-Fire which is suitable for new trainees or all-arms observers.

• Support for "Danger Close" adjustments: A new target location type, "Danger Close", has been introduced. This now allows the customer to conduct Danger Close mission training with realistic adjustments and procedures.

Instructor Control Panel (ICP) improvements

• Ability to conduct Coord Illum missions using ICP for NATO doctrine
• Geographic View of the ICP now provides a better view using improved contour lines
• Improved SEAD mission capability in ICP.

• Support for two phase serials in ICP: This enhancement will allow the user to create Fire Missions with two separate rates of fire concatenated. This will allow support for smoke build-up or for HE missions where a number of high rate rounds are fired before then switching to a lower rate of fire. For example, when firing smoke, the user could fire two rounds at maximum rate followed by ten rounds at rate 2.

Additional Fire Support Coordination Measures (FSCMs)

• Phase Lines are supportive zones to mark a 2D plane in the terrain. This can be multiple points in the same terrain, but not a polygon. This will have a height and the users will be able to pick a color.
• Boundaries are generally used to mark boundaries in the terrain, to guide armed platoons in the permitted areas. The implementation will be similar to the Phase Lines.

Greater control of the simulation

• Ability to manually override the time of flight
  It is now possible to override the time of flight. Once overridden, the projectile will be detonated according to the user-defined time of flight.
• Intervening crests
  An intervening crest is an object that lies between the ballistic flight path of a projectile and the target. The software should include an option for the simulation to account for intervening crests and to fire High Angle Trajectory in order to clear the crest.
• AAR (After Action Review)
  The panel to record/save recording AAR was improved by changing the GUI components. We also introduced an option to cancel recording of the AAR.

The French School of Artillery has been using VBS3Fires to train their Forward Observers for several years; however, the fielding of VBS3Fires and VBS3Fires FST at an enterprise level represents a significant expansion of their utilisation of the software in training.

The French military represents a valued addition to the already significant VBSFires enterprise level customer base which includes the US Army, USMC, Netherlands Ministry of Defence, Australian Defence Force, Canadian Armed Forces, New Zealand Defence Force and UK Ministry of Defence.

A multitude of other enhancements have also been made:

• Updated with turret support interop entity for both the API and callback systems
• Improved capability of keyInput callback to support multiple plug-ins
• Utility functions have support for interop entities
• The addition of new data classes to support both API and callback system: entity creation, update and turret updating
• 109 newly implemented functions in the interop class to support the creation of lightweight entities in VBS3:
  • New functions were added to classes under "UtillityClass" parent class
  • New standard callbacks have been added
  • Some of the Interop structs have been updated
• The dllEncrypter is more convenient to use than ever, with both the x32 bit plug-in and the x64 bit plug-in being encrypted in the same source folder.