Like many armed forces around the world, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is embarking on a plan to exploit the use of networked virtual simulation to enhance its training. The nexus for this strategy is the RAN’s Maritime Warfare Training establishment, HMAS Watson, in Sydney harbour.
As part of this strategy, HMAS Watson is about to receive new Kongsberg K-Sim ship handling and navigation trainers and an upgrade to the visual system of its current ship’s bridge simulator. These improvements will take place under the current support contract between Kongsberg and RAN, in order to provide capacity to meet current and increasing demands for training.
Kongsberg Digital, the new Kongsberg Group division dedicated to delivering next generation software and digital solutions that was created in July, including maritime simulators, will deliver a new stand-alone full mission ship’s bridge simulator, and a part mission bridge simulator based on its K-Sim Polaris simulator platform.
The company said that both systems will have the same functionality as the RAN’s existing bridge simulators at HMAS Watson, ‘allowing for cost-effective and straightforward integration into high quality training programmes for Australian Navy personnel’.
The visual upgrade also includes moving the simulator to a new site at HMAS Watson while the visual upgrade technologies will match those used on the new bridge and part-mission simulators.
‘Kongsberg’s selection for the HMAS Watson expansion is based on its ability to meet the RAN’s training needs with advanced bridge simulator technology,’ said Lt Cdr Ben Wellfare, RAN Officer-in-Charge Bridge Training Faculty.
‘Kongsberg Digital’s commitment to the stability and capabilities of the K-Sim Polaris simulator platform provides the confidence for us to ensure we can continue providing high quality simulator training to a growing number of individual and team training commitments.’
The company’s K-Sim products, are installed at more than 700 maritime training centres and colleges worldwide.
‘K-Sim Polaris simulators are extremely reliable and have proven to meet the RAN’s exacting requirements over many years of use,’ said Tone-Merete Hansen, global sales manager, Kongsberg Digital.
‘This delivery will meet the immediate demand of an increased number of trainees in HMAS Watson, and will enable RAN to make the most out of its investment in simulator models, databases and development of naval functionality for the Polaris simulator platform.’
(Shephard)