This paper presents the approach and results of an internally funded project at TRW to develop a portable, self-contained electronic combat (EC) simulation system. This system, known as the Portable Electronic Combat Simulation (PECS) system, provides the ability to conduct EC mission rehearsal, part-task training, and performance support functions in a deployed state using one stand-alone package. For mission rehearsal and part-task training, this tool provides a real-time simulation of the threat environment, a high-fidelity aircraft flight path generator, an electronic warfare (EW) defensive systems processing and environment interaction, a countermeasures effectiveness model, and an audio and video interface to the user via a graphical user interface. For performance support functions, the system provides an encyclopedia of threat information and a tool for conducting initial and refresher training for specific EW defensive systems.

The PECS system real-time and off-line software is hosted on a single VME chassis and employs multiple 68030 and SPARC CPUs. The real-time simulations software was developed in a building block style allowing the user to rapidly reconfigure his EW defensive systems suite from the models available. The off-line software includes a toolset of editors to build mission files and the performance support functions.

This development effort demonstrated that effective real-time EC mission rehearsal and training and offline performance support could be employed without large weapon system or aircraft part-task trainers. The PECS system software architecture also illustrated tremendous flexibility in supporting a number of different EW configurations, allowing new and qualified air crew members, from several different airframes, to learn and practice on a single turnkey system. The performance support function shows that air crew members can improve their EW knowledge base without the formal constraints of a CBT system.