An armory of simulators
ON May 10, 2003, Vermont National Guard officials dedicated the Readiness and Regional Technology Center at Norwich University in Northfield, Vt.
The $8.8 million building has more than 88,000 square feet of space and houses the headquarters of the 86th Armored Brigade, weapon and command-post simulators, and the Air and Army Information Operations Schools.
The weapon simulators include an engagement skills trainer, JANUS system and an M1 Abrams Full-crew Interactive Skills Trainer.
The EST allows Soldiers to “fire” virtually all small arms, including the 9mm pistol and the 50-cal. machine gun. It provides individual marksmanship, collective squad-level training and “shoot-don’t shoot” scenarios.
Trainees “fight” against “enemy troops” that are projected on a screen. The system then records the number and type of rounds fired, and their accuracy.
The JANUS system provides battle-staff training for brigade, battalion, company and platoon operations. Soldiers receive immediate feedback on their tactical plans as they fight a virtual enemy. The simulator provides an almost infinite combination of virtual terrain, weather and digitized enemy forces.
The M1 Abrams trainer offers a wide range of scenarios. And it also tracks “fired” tank rounds and provides summaries of target hits for commanders and tank crews.
Additionally, a simulations network consisting of four M1 trainers, one M2 Bradley trainer and a Guard Unit Armory Device Fail-Crew Interactive Simulation Trainer, GUARDFIST-II, will be installed by mid-July.
GUARDFIST-II will provide simulated battlefield scenarios for the training of field artillery forward-observer tasks.–BG Eugene A. Sevi, chief of staff, Vermont Army National Guard