Tech, ExplainedIndustrial tech and mobility
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Military simulation and training

Soldiers train on instrumented ranges.

INSIDE: DEFENCE ELECTRONICSHOW IT WORKS · A 40-SOLDIER EXERCISE ON AN INSTRUMENTED RANGEEach of the 40soldiers wears asensor harness,and eachrifle carriesa harmlesslaser emitterA soldier fires,and the riflesends a codedlaser pulse thatis not a bulletThe harness ofthe soldier whois hit detectsthe pulse andrecords the hitThe soldier'sradio sends hisposition and thehit to thecontrol roomThe control roomshows the 40positions on onescreen, andshows 6 soldiersas hitAfter theexercise,the trainersreplay thewhole exerciseand discusseach decisionALSO TALKS TOFlight simulator↗ AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCEINSIDE: DEFENCE ELECTRONICSHOW IT WORKS · A 40-SOLDIER EXERCISE ON ANINSTRUMENTED RANGEEach of the 40 soldierswears a sensor harness,and each rifle carries aharmless laser emitterA soldier fires,and the rifle sendsa coded laser pulsethat is not a bulletThe harness of thesoldier who is hitdetects the pulse andrecords the hitThe soldier's radio sendshis position and the hitto the control roomThe control room showsthe 40 positions on onescreen, and shows 6soldiers as hitAfter the exercise,the trainers replaythe whole exercise anddiscuss each decisionALSO TALKS TOFlight simulator↗ AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCEINSIDE: DEFENCE ELECTRONICS · A 40-SOLDIEREXERCISE ON AN INSTRUMENTED RANGEEach of the 40 soldiers wears a sensorharness, and each rifle carries aharmless laser emitter↓A soldier fires, and the rifle sends acoded laser pulse that is not a bullet↓The harness of the soldier who is hitdetects the pulse and records the hit↓The soldier's radio sends his positionand the hit to the control room↓The control room shows the40 positions on one screen,and shows 6 soldiers as hit↓After the exercise, the trainersreplay the whole exerciseand discuss each decisionALSO TALKS TOFlight simulator↗ AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE
On an instrumented range, soldiers' equipment records hits, radios send positions and hits to a control room, and trainers replay the exercise afterwards.
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Military simulation and training systems are the simulators and instrumented ranges on which soldiers and pilots train, together with the battlefield radios that link them. Training with real weapons is dangerous and costly. These systems let people practise realistic exercises without live fire.

Take, for example, an infantry battalion that must practise clearing a village. Live fire inside a village is impossible, and a single anti-tank missile can cost ₹20 lakh or more. On an instrumented range, every soldier and every vehicle carries equipment that records what happens. The equipment replaces bullets and shells with harmless signals, and the system decides who was hit. After the exercise, the trainers replay everything on a screen and explain each mistake. The same exercise can be repeated the next day, at little extra cost.

For pilots, a flight simulator copies the cockpit and the way the aircraft behaves, so that crews practise emergencies safely. The training for flying uses copies of real avionics screens and controls.

The radios matter as much as the sensors. Soldiers in training use the same kind of tactical radios as in the field, so they also practise using the radios. The radios send each soldier's position and hits to the control room. A system that works only if the radios work is a real test of them.

These systems are built from defence electronics. Armed forces buy them through government tenders. They are used for decades, and the maker updates them when the force changes its weapons or its tactics.

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