Photo By Tech. Sgt. Cesaron White | The KC-135 flight simulator facility receives a technological update at Scott Air...... read more read more
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. — The flight simulator building at Scott Air Force Base is undergoing new construction which expands the capability of flight training for pilots and boom operators.
The construction specifically expands the Mobility Air Forces Distributed Training Center, the operations and network management hub to enable distributed mobility operations for mobility assets such as simulators.
Distributed mobility operations is an independent, isolated network that allows Air Mobility Command mobility simulators to connect in a virtual environment to fly multi-ship missions in real-time. Real pilots and boom operators in different physical locations with simulators can run simulated missions with one another. Scott Air Force Base has an operational flight trainer and a boom operator weapon systems trainer.
“Right now, we support on average 64 simulator missions per month and project a doubling of throughput over the next few years with the addition of C-5, C-130, and KC-46 simulators,” said Sean K. Carey, branch chief.
The training center is going from one event control center for executing missions to five event control centers in order to meet requirements. There is also expanded space for network management and cybersecurity personnel to support the system.
The Air Force uses flight simulators to enhance aircrew training in a variety of situations such as poor flying conditions, system malfunctions, and hostile environments. Simulator technology enables a wide variety of learning opportunities with zero real-world risk and significantly less cost to the government. One hour of simulator time is about $500 compared to a one hour sortie in a jet which costs about $6,000.
“AMC saves billions of dollars per year by training in the simulator as opposed to the aircraft. If one considers the additional costs associated with procurement, wear and tear, repairs, support equipment and man-hours, the simulator cost is a fraction of the cost of an actual aircraft,” said Ron Langford, the Scott Air Force Base site lead for the KC-135 Aircrew Training System.
“We will soon have the ability to conduct full-scale exercises virtually. Imagine how those capabilities will help the aircrews hone their skills and be prepared for the next real combat engagement,” Langford said.
“As computer systems, visual projection, graphics, and design improve we are constantly working with AMC to provide enhancements to our simulators. We are always adding enhanced graphics, system malfunctions, and aircraft-specific upgrades to the simulators. Our goal is to keep the simulator as concurrent as possible with the aircraft,” Langford said.
According to Sean Carey, once construction is complete, the Scott site will have a greater capacity to facilitate inter-team training among geographically separated and composite force teams as more sites come online and additional airframes are added into the system.
| Date Taken: | 08.15.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 12.10.2021 11:11 |
| Story ID: | 410451 |
| Location: | SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 32 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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