Embedded Training provides training capabilities built into or added onto operational systems, subsystems or equipment to enhance and maintain the skill proficiency of personnel. The Joint Strike Fighter program requires an Embedded Training (ET) solution capable of multi-ship interaction, local and distributed weapons simulation, data link, data collection and off-board debriefing.
Dutch Space and NLR in cooperation with the Royal Netherlands Air Force demonstrated Embedded Training on an F-16 MLU in the E-CATS Demonstrator event April 2004. This event provided aircrew with the opportunity to fly the E-CATS demonstrator and helped shape the ET requirements for the F-35.
E-CATS was a very successful demonstration of single ship ET, however to "train as we fight" requires a multi-ship ET solution. Dutch Space and NLR developed a demonstrator to provide an understanding of the functional ET multi-ship concept from an operator perspective. It allows a pilot to interact with the system and understand what an ET multi-ship capability can provide to him. This demonstrator is therefore ideally suited to provide the operational user with the data and experience necessary to refine ET functional requirements.
The demonstration of multi-ship ET capability takes place in a simulated environment. It is based on NLR's multiship research facility F4S (Fighter Four-Ship) consisting of four mobile fighter aircraft simulators. The single ship E-CATS demonstrator capability is integrated with enhanced extensions to enable the multi-ship ET functionality to be demonstrated to the users. The users are able to fly an ET mission in a multi-ship configuration and compare that to a single ship solution allowing unique multi-ship requirements to be identified.