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Fleet Synthetic Training

The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) is the Australian Government's lead agency charged with applying science and technology to protect and defend Australia and its national interests. DSTO delivers expert, impartial advice and innovative solutions for Defence and other elements of national security.

MATES Test and Integration Facility within the Advanced Distributed Simulation Laboratory, Fishermans Bend

Background

The latest Fleet Synthetic Training (FST) exercises involving DSTO have their genesis in the Coalition Readiness Management System (CReaMS) Project Arrangement. CReaMS was a US Navy initiative developed to advance coalition training, and involved DSTO and the Royal Australian Navy participating in several exercises between 2001 and 2006. The ultimate aim of developing a persistent and effective in-port and ashore training capability between the USN and RAN was achieved in May 2006, with the first of a series of Coalition Fleet Synthetic Training exercises between RAN and USN 3rd and 7th Fleet.

Fleet Synthetic Training exercises

Four Fleet Synthetic Training exercises were conducted throughout 2006 and 2007 being the:

• Pacific Coalition Fleet Synthetic Training Exercise;

• USS John C Stennis Fleet Synthetic Training Exercise;

• USS Nimitz Fleet Synthetic Training Exercise; and

• Pacific Coalition Amphibious Synthetic Training Exercise.

In each of these exercises, the role of DSTO has been to provide scientific and technical leadership to the RAN, whose crews were stationed in operations room simulators at the Maritime Warfare Training Centre at HMAS Watson, Sydney. DSTO provided assistance:

• Establishing, testing and trouble-shooting coalition simulation networks;

• Solving interoperability issues;

• Developing and applying terrain databases; and

• With on-line monitoring and analysis during the exercises.

Post-exercise, DSTO’s role has been to analyse the recorded data both from a technical perspective to measure simulation performance, and a learning methodology perspective to establish training outcomes and effectiveness measures.

As a result of DSTO’s ability to incorporate Advanced Distributed Simulation into the training, mission rehearsal, and operational readiness abilities of the RAN, Australian forces have been able to integrate and be interoperable with US forces in a seamless manner.

MWTS & MATES

DSTO’s expertise in maritime synthetic training has been further recognised by the request from the RAN for DSTO to become involved in the Maritime Warfare Training System (MWTS) and the Maritime Assessment and Training Evaluation System (MATES).

The MWTS and MATES aims to provide operators with a totally realistic training environment. Ship and shore training simulators are connected so that the training environment is available anywhere, anytime, at a fraction of the cost of using live assets and with the same or better fidelity.

The Maritime Warfare Training System (MWTS) is based on and designed to take full advantage of the on board training systems (OBTS) to be fitted to FFG, FFH (ANZAC) and ultimately to the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) vessels. The MWTS will support networked simulation–based warfare training both for individuals and command teams and will introduce a new approach to the training and assessing of warfare teams.

The aim of the Maritime Assessment and Training Evaluation System (MATES) is to describe, define and implement the MWTS architecture, databases and learning methodology process (LMP), that are to be employed by the RAN. It will provide the ability to train, assess and evaluate the RAN’s capacity to achieve specified maritime response options. The required training environment will be realistic and safe and will include live exercises, live firings, networked simulation and world-class training techniques and technologies.

DSTO has recently established a Test and Evaluation facility within the existing Advanced Distributed Simulation Laboratory at Fishermans Bend. After a period of development in the DSTO laboratory, MATES will be evaluated and refined at the HMAS Watson training establishment, and then rolled-out on FFG-UP and ANZAC ships as each ship is upgraded with its On Board Training System.

The future

More Fleet Synthetic Training exercises are planned for the future with the RAN expected to initially be involved in three Fleet Synthetic Training events per year, although this may increase as the Navy Continuous Training Environment (NCTE) umbrella covers more synthetic player sites. Australian maritime coverage is also being expanded, with the likely inclusion of the Collins Class Submarine in the near future, and the increased capability of networking the game into pier-side FFG Upgrade ships’ On Board Training Systems (OBTS). The ANZAC class is also expected to gain this capability over the next few years. In addition, the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) and new Amphibious ships (LHD) are also planning on acquiring compatible capabilities to allow integration into MWTS and MATES.

 

DSTO contacts and information

Defence Science and Technology Organisation

506 Lorimer Street

Fishermans Bend, VIC 3207

Tel: +61 3 9626 7721

Fax: +61 3 9626 7099

Email: information@dsto.defence.gov.au

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