Airstrike Collateral Damage Estimate (CDE)
- are you getting it right?
 

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Reducing civilian casualties with VBS3Fires FST and Ambience
ITEC 2016, held in London from May 17-19, was a hotbed of new and innovative training solutions to the challenges faced by today's militaries. None more so than SimCentric's response to the urgent need to reduce civilian casualties in our increasingly complicated military operations.

Pushing the boundaries of JFO and JTAC training

Together, SimCentric's VBS3FiresFST, (the market's leading close air support trainer) and Ambience (our highly realistic pattern-of-life generator), challenge the current paradigm for JFOs and JTACs - driving it beyond purely procedural training into a highly complex and challenging cognitive and judgemental training capability for operators.

Dr Adam Easton, SimCentric CEO, said, "The increasing prevalence of counter-insurgency targets masking themselves amongst civilian populations demands an accurate Collateral Damage Estimate (CDE) to avoid civilian casualties."

"What we have demonstrated at ITEC is a capability to realistically train in a modern, complex battlespace incorporating non-combatants, urban clutter, UAV surveillance, close air platforms and military targeting procedures. This requires operators to make sound decisions in operationally realistic scenarios. In turn, this reduces the risk of civilian casualties when using precision munitions in high collateral damage environments with the associated strategic consequences."

Indicative Training Scenario -
How Ambience improves your CDE

JTAC overwatch with MQ-9 Reaper in support

1. JTAC target identification


The JTAC has identified a legitimate target of five insurgents, including one with a suicide vest and an armed light skinned vehicle; however, this target is co-located close to a marketplace. The JTAC decides to use his Rover 5 terminal with UAV feed to confirm proximity of the target from the civilian population.

2. MQ-9 Reaper UAV-supported Collateral Damage Estimate



The JTAC confirms a separation of approximately thirty metres between the insurgent position and marketplace; however, he fails to note the four civilians (including two children) in close proximity of the insurgent vehicle.

3. Confirm CDE using UAV IR POD


The JTAC switches to IR (Black Hot) to verify that the known insurgents are the only ones in proximity of the vehicle, correlating this with their own optics from overwatch. The JTAC completes his Collateral Damage Estimate, deciding (incorrectly) to engage the position with a Laser Guided AGM114L Hellfire from the supporting MQ-9 Reaper.

4. UAV laser designates target



The UAV laser designates the insurgent vehicle for engagement. Civilian vehicles and non-combatants (generated by the Ambience program) are clearly within the strike lethal radius. At this stage, the JTAC should give the abort code, or simply not clear the UAV hot; however, the JTAC continues with the strike.

5. JTAC routes UAV to Insertion Point


The UAV is routed to the Insertion Point (IP) to commence its attack run from the West. The village location can be seen in the distance.

6. JTAC clears UAV hot - AGM114L Hellfire launched



The MQ-9 Reaper launches an AGM114L Hellfire missile at the target (that it is also laser designating) from 4000ft at a distance of 3 nautical miles.

7. Hellfire strike onto target


The JTAC observes the initial strike on target with dust obscuration preventing an immediate Battle Damage Assessment. In the foreground, civilians can be seen fleeing from the strike North through the marketplace - an automated function of the Ambience program cueing civilians to flee from danger.

8. Ambience-generated crowd flees from danger



As can be seen on VBS3 Real Time Editor, the civilian population has immediately fled in all directions from the strike location. The Ambience AI generates logical and realistic reactions to instances of danger to maintain continuous realism for your scenario.

9. UAV confirms significant collateral damage


Once the dust obscuration clears, the JTAC conducts a Battle Damage Assessment using the Rover 5 feed from the MQ-9 Reaper. As can be clearly observed, whilst the vehicle and insurgents have been destroyed, there are also multiple non-combatants who have been killed in the strike.

10. Ambience-generated crowd investigates strike area



With the apparent danger passing, the instructor creates an Attraction Point within Ambience to simulate the village investigating the strike location. At this time, the population will become aware that non-combatants have been killed in the airstrike.

11. Angry Ambience crowd swarms JTAC location


Minutes later, a civilian observes the JTAC location, subsequently vectoring the angry population onto his position (manipulated by the instructor using a few clicks in Ambience). The JTAC now faces several hundred enraged villagers holding him responsible for the strike. What does the JTAC do now? Move immediately into a live environment to negotiate with fifty angry expatriate role players potentially with insurgents mixed in? It's your choice..
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SimCentric joins Australian Rapid Prototyping, Development and Evaluation Program

SimCentric Technologies has been awarded membership to the Australian Rapid Prototyping, Development and Evaluation (RPDE) program. RPDE is the Australian government's foremost joint Defence - Industry forum providing expert collaborative support to complex, high-risk problem sets and acquisition decisions.

"RPDE membership validates SimCentric's continuing dedication to ground-breaking research and development in modeling and simulation," said Gareth Collier, SimCentric's Director of Strategic Engagement. "SimCentric has a long tradition of technical innovation that matches customer requirements with advanced solutions - we look forward to tangibly adding value to the ADF capability in the coming months and years through the RPDE program.|

Contact us at sales@simct.com to learn more, or visit our website at www.simct.com.

Copyright © 2016 SimCentric Technologies, All rights reserved.

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