Image ironically courtesy U.S. Army Touch Screen Display View the TSD comm panel controls featured on the ACTT: Station Box · UHF · VHF · FM1 · IFF · AH

January 12, 2006 – ASTi recently received an order from AVT Simulation (Orlando, FL) to supply equipment, software and support services as part of the Phase IV upgrade to the U.K. School of Army Aviation for the Aviation Combined Tactics Trainer (ACTT). The ACTT installation has grown in capability and maturity since the original installation back in 2001, and has evolved into one of the most sophisticated reconfigurable mission oriented training facilities in the world.

The current order continues the evolution of the ACTT facility, and builds on capability added in the Phase III upgrade completed in mid-2005. The phase III upgrade added realistic comm controls to the trainer utilizing the ASTi TSD (Touch Screen Display) panel, which provided highly realistic representations of aircraft communication and radio control panels. Reports from the aircrews using the trainer have been that this upgrade was a huge success, providing enhanced training, particularly acknowledging that communications procedures are a vital part of any mission training scenario.

Phase IV adds the capability to link any pairing of stations (there are total of 12 in the facility) to form a “complete cockpit” for the Lynx aircraft mode of operation in pilot/co-pilot arrangement. This ability is similar to the existing Apache mode where cockpits can be linked as pilot/gunner pair. Therefore the ACTT can now represent either 12 Lynx or 12 Apache single-station positions, or 6 full Lynx or Apache aircraft or any combination in-between. This upgrade also adds a fourth radio to the Lynx operational mode to match the current aircraft configuration.

The DACS model employed to support this multiple-mode, re-configurability is designed such that no changes to the model are necessary no matter how the facility is configured, and that all switching is made under software control. This is no mean feat due the demand for such enormous flexibility, but the end-result for the customer is a totally transparent system requiring no hardware or software changes regardless of the desired operational mode.

A vital aspect of mission training is After Action Review (AAR), and the ACTT is designed from the ground up to include full record/replay of all crew communications and radio transmissions. The AAR is implemented as a completely self-contained classroom, and can support full-debrief while the main facility is used to run a simulated mission, if required.

The total number of ASTi DACS systems in use at the ACTT facility now totals seven (7) systems. Additional aspects of the Phase IV upgrade include custom under-the-desk, mounted instructor PTT boxes, and the inclusion of the Apache specific-to-type heel PTT switches. ASTi will be traveling to site in late Q1, 2006 to provide integration support.

During the recent 2005 I/ITSEC, ASTi was pleased to learn that the next upgrade (Phase V) is now well into the planning stages, and this will include further enhancements and capabilities to the communications system for the ACTT.

Additional Information:
An almost identical system based on the ACTT is now marketed as a training solution in its own right by Evans and Sutherland, the prime contractor for the ACTT facility. E&S are actively promoting this Mission Command Trainer solution with a number of potential international customers.