The technology currently available on aviation test and training ranges is insufficient to support current and future operational needs. The capabilities of modern, 5th Generation weapon systems have outstripped the existing range capacities. The result is a gap in the range’s ability to support proper employment, realistic operational testing & training, and ever-increasing operations security (OPSEC) requirements. To represent the growing scale and complexity of these threats, protect our employment methods, and adequately train the operational forces, a secure and flexible range construct is needed for highly capable advanced platforms with rapidly evolving tactics. This paper presents the results of recent efforts to understand and accommodate new, blended range training infrastructures that are able to present flexible and consistent Live-Virtual-Constructive (LVC) based environments in a secure fashion. Results from a recent set of experiments and demonstrations show practical implementation of networking, security, platform instrumentation, and simulation infrastructures that incorporate concepts first explored in the Office of Naval Research (ONR) LVC study: Virtual and Constructive Representations on Live Aircraft Displays (VCR-LAD). The live execution and practical implementations of these concepts is presented and explored, including virtual range extension, multi-level secure mission flexibility, and weapons flyout management to maximise the utility of live adversary aircraft. The detailed infrastructure supporting pre-mission, mission, and post-mission phases of blended LVC operations that incorporate live aircraft equipped with multilevel security and software defined radios is discussed. Presented are results from a recent set of experiments and demonstrations of live aircraft equipped with this instrumentation. We conclude with lessons learned and recommendations for interoperability among advanced range and range-less instances of instrumentation to support both testing and training.
Emerging Concepts and Innovative Technologies
LVC-Enabled Range technology: Supporting training for Next-Gen weapons systems
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