Environmental Tectonics Corporation,
SOUTHAMPTON: Environmental Tectonics Corporation today announced that it will hold multiple Orange Flag '08 exercises at its National AeroSpace Training And Research (NASTAR Center). These exercises will pit tactical fighter pilots against each other, challenging their combat skills in a virtual air combat environment.
The NASTAR Center's Orange Flag events offer the world's only fighter pilot virtual fly-off with dynamic real world challenges, including the unique stressor of sustained G forces during tactical flight. Other than risking life and machine in the real aircraft, the Authentic Tactical Fighting System (ATFS-400(TM)) is the only way to practice the art and science of tactical fighting under real world conditions of sustained Gs. With a high fidelity cockpit system capable of simulating any aircraft in the world and sustaining up to 15 Gs with an onset rate of 10 Gs per second (less than half a revolution), the ATFS-400 is unique in the world of air combat flight training and blurs the line between simulation and the real thing.
The ATFS-400 combines real world-visuals, a virtual battlespace, a high fidelity functioning model of an aircraft cockpit, known as a Configuration Module (TACModule(TM)), and realistic visual simulation of threats, terrain, weather and other elements in a tactical environment, with a powerful high- performance centrifuge that can be “flown” by a fighter pilot just like an actual aircraft.
Invitations will be sent to top fighter pilots from around the world to participate in Orange Flag '08 events. These exercises will include a U.S. Military Orange Flag event, tentatively scheduled for July 2008; a NATO Orange Flag event, tentatively scheduled for September 2008; and an International Orange Flag event, tentatively scheduled for October or November 2008. During the Orange Flag events, pilots will be challenged to fly air combat engagements in the ATFS-400, configured as an F-15 aircraft, against other pilots flying HLA-compliant simulators at NASTAR Center, including the F/A- 18C, Su-30 and other configurations to be determined.
ETC last hosted an Orange Flag event during January 14 – 19, 2004, in which a series of simulated engagements were flown by fifty visiting pilots, pitting the ATFS-400 with an F/A-18C TACModule against a non-motion MIG-29 full mission simulator. The one-on-one Orange Flag contests immersed the pilots in a rich, synthetic combat environment, demonstrating the capability of the ATFS-400 to create authentic tactical maneuvering experience, comparable to the real thing.
The high-realism maneuvering experience that the ATFS-400 provides will significantly contribute to operational readiness, safety and training cost reductions. The baseline price of the ATFS-400 (including one high-fidelity TACModule) is around $25 million per system. However, preliminary estimates forecast the cost savings to the U.S. Government could provide up to $0.5 billion a year if just 10% of the current in-aircraft tactical training flight hours were transferred to the ATFS-400. Additional benefits provided by training in the ATFS-400 include extended aircraft service life, extended engine service life, and substantial reduction is carbon fuels use.
William F. Mitchell, ETC's President and Chairman, stated, “The ATFS-400 at NASTAR Center represents the very latest technology in sustained G, full fidelity simulation. ATFS-400 is the future in tactical flight training and it is here now. ETC is proud to present this revolutionary technology and will be issuing invitations to participate in Orange Flag '08 events in the coming months. Tactical Fighter Pilots are encouraged to experience the ATFS-400 for themselves.”
ETC designs, develops, installs and maintains aircrew training systems (aeromedical, tactical combat and general), disaster management training systems and services, entertainment products, sterilizers (steam and gas), environmental testing products, hyperbaric chambers and related products for domestic and international customers
