Tel Aviv: The armoured corps of the Israeli defence forces (IDF) have begun using an advanced simulator for crews of main battle tanks (MBT). The simulator was developed by Israeli company Elbit Systems and is already generating big interest in other countries.
When coming to analyse the impact of such unique simulator, one must imagine a tank crew on the battlefield, surrounded by the enemy. Each member has a mission: the driver – must navigate the huge war machine between buildings and sand dunes on a branched terrain route, the loader – fills and replenishes the ammunition under time pressure and at top speed, the gunner – is responsible for accurate shooting and a complete hit on the threat, and the commander – connects everything that happens into a synchronised and well-thought-out action.
Sounds Complicated?
According to an official release in the IDF website, this is exactly where the new Armoured Training Centre comes in, allowing all tank personnel to practice in any sector and in any weather – without leaving the base. Until now, you could find a simulator that only simulates the work of a tank gunner. Now the other members of an MBT can simulate their coordinated work needed to operate this big war machine at war.
An IDF officer closely connected to the tank simulator program told Raksha Anirveda that the new simulator simulates situations in combat “as much as a simulator can get to reality”. “The system is capable of simulating the cognitive situation of the tank commander under combat pressure,” he said.
How much training time does the simulator save? “Our mission is not to save time but to make the best tanks crews,” said the officer. He explained that the simulator is creating scenarios of the combat cooperation between the tank and the infantry that is using different advanced systems that stream real time data to the tank’s crew.
The officer added that the simulator can operate as the “enemy” and inject very complicated scenarios that call for the coordinated actions of the tank crew.
According to the Israeli company Elbit Systems, the simulator can be adapted to any type of MBT.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
