How our future soldiers will fight

Ready to open fire ... British soldiers undergo simulation training. Source: Supplied

WE take you inside the one of the world's top military simulation centres, where incredible advances have been made to prepare soldiers for war. Ian McPhedran reports.

Hefting my full size Carl Gustavo 84mm anti-armour weapon on my shoulder, I narrow my sights on a distant window. The trigger is pulled and with a 'whoosh-roar-bang' a room full of bad guys is 'eliminated.'

In another corner of the training space a digita firing range serves up a variety of simulated targets for the shooter and an M4 assault rifle.

Target in sight, another deep breath and 'bang', the simulated round takes out an enemy fighter. The recoil is realistic and the targets respond as if hit by a real bullet.

We are at the Saab training and simulation centre in the pretty lakeside town of Huskvarna in central Sweden.

The Swedish arms maker is at the cutting edge of simulation technology and the realism that can be achieved these days in the class room is truly astonishing.

Gone are the days when soldiers and police had to beg, borrow or steal to get enough ammunition to stay current.

With simulation this good the need to actually fire a live round against a target range is all but eliminated.

The Australian Army aims to have about 25 per cent of its total training regime conducted under simulation or "non-live'' activities during the next decade.

The head of the army's office of modernisation and strategic planning, Major General Jeff Sengelman, says the modern-day army has no option but to boost its use of simulation.

"I personally believe that an aspirational target of 25 per cent delivery of competencies through non-live means within a decade is both achievable, and given the escalating demands of joint and collective training, essential,'' General Sengelman said.

"We also need to reduce the amount of movement of fleets and people across Australia and therefore favour solutions which maximise local solutions, including improved usability and development of local major training areas such as Cultana, High Range and Shoalwater Bay [all in Queensland].''

One of the biggest advances in simulation technology is portability.

Warfare training ... British soldiers undergo simulation training equipped with high tech vests and laser guided weapons. Source: Supplied

Today's advanced simulation and live instrumentation systems can be transported in trailers to units at their home locations with a minimum of fuss and at a greatly reduced cost. With shrinking budgets across all areas of government, including the military, the sheer cost of moving hundreds of soldiers and equipment long distances to conduct live training has become so prohibitive that portable and fixed simulation will take over many traditional training roles.

Just one example of the huge potential for savings that simulation brings is the training of Joint Terminal Attack Controllers or JTAC's. These highly trained soldiers are the eyes and ears on the ground to call in close-air support for infantry troops in the form of fast jets or attack helicopters. The cost of training just one JTAC is estimated at $19 million when you tally up aircraft and ammunition costs. Modern simulation technology means you can take a JTAC to the same skill level for a fraction of that cost.

Swedish giant Saab is a global leader in military simulation technology.

During a media tour of the firm's facilities across Sweden in early April, News Corp Australia witnessed first-hand the incredible advances in simulation technology from digital weapons ranges to an entire village fully instrumented to simulate any number of scenarios from hostage rescue to a full-blown live fire assault.

The company's training and simulation headquarters is in the picturesque lakeside town of Huskvarna (home to the Husqvarna motor cycle, lawnmower and chainsaw company).

Saab employs about 700 people in its training systems and simulation division including about 350 engineers and according to company spokesman Anders Jonzon the philosophy of simulation is simple — to allow soldiers or police to train as they will fight.

"We are turning training into confidence,'' he said.

"If we can save a life that is what we intend to do.''

Politicians who send troops to war don't want too many coming home in body bags so saving lives is a vital element of modern training for war. According to Saab it can prove how simulated training systems have saved lives.

Building skills ... Swedish counter-terrorism police equipped with simulation technology undergo training at the Swedish Combat Training Centre. Source: Supplied

Saab exports its training simulation technology around the world to countries and security forces as diverse as Kenya, Norway, New Zealand, Australia and the United States.

The company's aim is to deliver systems that are as close to the real thing as possible. The other crucial factor is providing real-time feedback to the soldier and preserving the data gathered during the exercise.

Saab's Adelaide based business development manager for training and simulation Inger Lawes said that the Australian Army was in danger of falling behind the rest of the world in terms of training in the post-Afghanistan environment.

"Skills retention will be a big problem for the Australian Army post-Afghanistan,'' Mr Lawes said.

Unfortunately the army's training technology is falling behind with facilities such as the Vietnam-era Combat Infantry Training Centre in Townsville now completely out of date. The light infantry and Vietnam jungle warfare foundations bear little resemblance to the modern combined-arms battle group approach to warfighting. In addition just one-third of the army's troops get the chance to even use the centre with those based in Darwin and Adelaide missing out altogether.

Simulation has become so advanced that Saab can rig a soldier out with a suite of sensors that can even simulate a bullet wound and the effectiveness of the treatment applied by medics.

During the media tour at the Swedish Combat Training Centre near the town of Kvarn, journalists were fitted with laser harnesses and simulated grenades for an urban warfare exercise. Noise, smoke and fire simulators inside the rooms of the 'towns' buildings made the training even more realistic. Following one very loud but non-explosive blast from a digital hand grenade thrown by colleagues, two hapless reporters were pronounced "killed'' and badly injured over the speaker fitted to each harness system.

Separate simulators also provide feedback about a soldier's fitness to fight on or any damage to his weapon.

Not simple guerilla warfare anymore ... British soldiers undergo simulation training. Source: Supplied

Of course nothing can simulate the fear and sheer physical impact of actual combat, but the Saab system comes very close.

Also included at the training centre are powerful loud speaker systems that provide highly realistic crowd, vehicle or helicopter noises to add to the overall sense of realism.

According to Mr Lawes simulated training systems can have a profound impact on infantry commanders.

In one celebrated case a Swedish Army Company Commander lost 80 per cent of his men in a very short time during a simulated urban assault.

"He [the commander] switched the system off, studied the data and did it all again with much better results,'' Mr Lawes said.

New Zealand is spending about $20 million to equip a brigade of 1000 troops and 200 vehicles with Saab's simulation technology. The company says the Australian Army could do the same job across its "ready'' "re-setting'' and "readying'' combat brigades for an estimated $100 million.

"Live simulation systems need to be scalable to support training ranging from individual to complete Multi-Role Combat Brigade including its supporting enablers,'' Mr Lawes said.

"The systems need to incorporate all battle space players including, but not limited to, civilian, non- government agencies (NGOs), government agencies and civilians.''

Simulation training is the way of the future.

The Australian Army will need to move quickly to capitalise on new technologies before the rest of the world leaves it far behind.

* Ian McPhedran travelled to Sweden as a guest of Saab

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