SDS International (SDS) has been awarded a contract to deliver three ROVATTS™-based MQ-9 Mission Training Devices (MTD) to the ANG to support operational MQ-9 crew training.  Building upon the success of SDS’ currently fielded ROVATTS™-MQ-1 Simulators, SDS’ Advanced Technologies Division, Orlando, Florida will provide MQ-9 MTDs to meet the ANG’s need for low-cost, high-fidelity PC-based MQ-9 simulator training systems, with the first two systems being delivered to the Syracuse ANG.  The contract also includes provisions for initial system sustainment and a number of future capability improvements.

Each delivered MQ-9 MTD will consist of two tabletop simulator stations that preserve the correct physical layout of both the MQ-9 pilot and sensor operator stations.  The systems, which operate in a normal office environment (A/C, power, etc.), will include two adjustable, wheeled COTS tables holding properly sized/positioned flat-panel displays for the HUD, Tracker, Command and Status Displays; specialized USB-based Desktop Control Units comprised of form/fit/function stick, throttle, keyboard and trackball controls; and game-level rudders.  Each MQ-9 MTD will have built-in DIS radio capability and a laptop-based instructor-operator station.  The MQ-9 MTD will also incorporate an SDS-developed high fidelity MQ-9 aerodynamics package (supporting takeoff/enroute/landing operations including flight with turbulence effects and control-delays); pilot and sensor operator heads-up-displays; and electro-optical/infra-red sensor displays including high-fidelity terrain scenes provided by SDS’ AAcuity® PC-IG.  The MQ-9 MTD’s pilot and sensor operator control stations will also include functioning head-down-displays (including variable information tables and menu button interfaces), tracker displays, selected normal and emergency procedure functionality, and AGM-114 Hellfire missile and GBU-12 laser guided bomb weapons employment capabilities. 

SDS’ MQ-9 MTDs support individual (pilot or sensor operator) and/or crew training in a stand-alone environment, plus distributed training involving a variety of live, virtual, and constructive systems in either local or distributed exercises using DIS or HLA connectivity.  As such, the MQ-9 MTD represents a low-cost, high-fidelity alternative training system capable of supporting a wide variety of realistic training, mission rehearsal, R&D and T&E applications<

SDS International (SDS) recently received an order from the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) for twenty of its innovative, laptop-based RavenView™ tactical simulation systems for use in training AFSOC/Special Operations Command (SOCOM) forces.

RavenView™ systems to be delivered to AFSOC by SDS’ Advanced Technologies Division, Orlando, FL, represent a significantly enhanced version of SDS’ Raven-B 3D viewer software originally developed in cooperation with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Wright Patterson AFB, OH to improve tactical simulation training of Raven-B personnel using actual Raven controls. Incorporating feedback from subject matter experts, the completely redesigned RavenView™ systems provide an affordable “plug-and-play” capability that adds significant training realism, increases training flexibility and improves usability for Warfighters operating the Raven-B and other Small Unmanned Air Vehicle (SUAV) Sims controlled by the Raven’s common Ground Control Station (GCS), all while preserving SUAV system capabilities and operator functions.

RavenView™ ensures cost-effective tactical-training realism by incorporating high-fidelity visualization provided by SDS’ AAcuity™ PC-IG and NEXWARS 3D Viewer technologies; including a variety of Open/Urban 3D terrains; and re-using existing OpenFlight and Terrapage terrains. In addition to supporting stand-alone training, RavenView™ provides proven DIS/HLA connectivity needed to interact with a variety of virtual (including I-FACT) and constructive simulations during locally-networked or long-haul Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) training activities. RavenView™ also significantly improves usability by adding a GUI-based Instructor Operator Station (IOS) incorporating one-stop initialization, database/camera selection and system shutdown; ground-based entity placement; RavenView™ generated EO/IR displays; SUAV Sim controls; and PFPS/FalconView/RPUAV software capabilities. All of these capabilities are integrated on one COTS laptop, eliminating the need for a Toughbook computer during simulation training.

RavenView™, which is available as a complete turnkey capability including COTS laptop and software, adds significant tactical training realism and worldwide mission rehearsal capability by allowing users to plan and execute specific SUAV Tactics, Techniques and Procedures in highly realistic virtual-environments using actual UAV controls.

SDS International (SDS) has been awarded a multiyear contract by the US Army Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC), Natick, MA, to enhance the First Person Shooter (FPS) PC-based simulation system Virtual Test Bed (VTB) developed by SDS and NSRDEC under earlier contracts.  

 

Under this contract, SDS’ Advanced Technologies Division, Orlando FL, will provide human factors and systems engineering support needed to further enhance the ability of the initial FPS-based human/hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test bed to demonstrate system capability and capture technical performance measures for the Soldier Domain Technologies follow-on Army Technologies Objectives (ATOs). The resulting VTB will support the Army’s need for a revolutionary approach to system integration, assessment, and simulation of soldier-system architectures encompassing survivability, mobility, networked communications, collaborative situational awareness, power sources, and networked lethality/fire control.  The VTB’s flexible architecture will support timely infusion of new warfighter capabilities, including unmanned vehicle/sensor systems (air, ground, sea) as they arise during the development cycle.  The VTB will also provide a viable virtual environment fully capable of supporting soldier system hardware/software integration and assessment in realistic, networked virtual environments, thus expediting and improving overall soldier-system development by supplementing testing of actual systems under field conditions with more routine, less costly assessments throughout the development cycle.

 

AAcuity® Hero-FPS can function as an individual soldier providing the appropriate views (visual, NVG, IR and HUD) and employing a variety of weapons, chem-sticks, lights, etc. while moving throughout-- and interacting with--virtually any distributed exercise composed of live, virtual, and constructive manned/unmanned entities. These robust capabilities make the AAcuity® Hero-FPS and the FPS-VTB excellent choices for research and development, test and evaluation, and training applications in stand-alone and/or distributed environments.

 

SDS International (SDS) has been awarded a contract to further enhance its PC-based MQ-1 and MQ-9 Training Systems used by the USAF 711th Human Performance Integration Directorate, Brooks City-Base, Texas to evaluate Airman Human Performance (HP) issues. 

 

Under this contract, SDS International’s Advanced Technologies Division, Orlando, Florida, will develop a Heads-up-Display (HUD) Rapid Prototyping Tool (HUD-RPT) to facilitate the 711th’s support of the USAF acquisition community and the Combat Air Force regarding HP sustainment and enhancement as it pertains to Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).  The HUD-RPT will provide users of SDS’ PC-based Remotely Operated Vehicle Adaptable Tracking/Training System (ROVATTS™) MQ-1 and MQ-9 Simulators with the ability to manipulate existing HUD components and create new HUD components using point-and-click, graphical user interface functionality.  The resultant HUD-RPT will provide the 711th with the functionality needed to explore, research, and transition near-term human-system related technologies (e.g., hardware, software, and mind-ware).

 

HUD-RPT development demonstrates the adaptability of the ROVATTS™ system architecture which was specifically designed to provide a flexible, cost-effective approach to developing a family of Unmanned Vehicle System (UVS) simulators for varying stand-alone or distributed Training, Mission Rehearsal, R&D, and T&E applications.  Using SDS developed or third-party plug-ins, ROVATTS™ can simulate a variety of UAS, Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV), Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV) and Underwater Unmanned Vehicles (UUV).  Current ROVATTS™ UVS simulators include the MQ-1, MQ-9, Small UGV (SUGV), and Unattended Ground Sensors (UGS)/UGS Servers.

SDS International (SDS) recently received a contract to deliver two ROVATTS™-based Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) simulators to the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND.  The ROVATTS™-based MQ-1 and MQ-9 Tabletop Simulators will be delivered to the university’s Center for UAS Research, Education and Training for use in USAF sponsored efforts to study issues associated with operating unmanned systems in the National Airspace.  Under a contract with the Joint UAS Center of Excellence located at Creech AFB, the university will begin using SDS’ UAS simulators to evaluate proposed unmanned aircraft operational scenarios for both Grand Forks Air Force Base and Creech Air Force Base; unmanned aircraft operator/Air Traffic Control interactions; and ground-based systems being developed to enable sense and avoid (SAA) of other aircraft with unmanned aircraft.  These, and follow-on UAS efforts will help contribute to UND’s key role in North Dakota’s Red River Valley Research Corridor initiative.

 

ROVATTS™ MQ-1 and MQ-9 Tabletop Simulators, provided by SDS’ Advanced Technologies Division, Orlando, FL, are delivered with pilot and sensor operator stations composed of adjustable, wheeled COTS tables holding properly sized/placed flat-panel displays for the HUD, Tracker, Command and Status Displays; game-level rudders; and functioning keyboard, trackball, stick and throttles.  Each system includes host-aircraft, pilot-station and sensor-operator-station software, plus built-in software-based DIS radios supporting internal and external communications.  Each system also includes one laptop-based instructor-operator station providing mission planning, system operation and after-action-review capabilities, which are particularly useful for standalone training.  Since ROVATTS™ systems are DIS/HLA capable, they can also operate with a variety of live, virtual, and constructive systems in local or distributed exercises.  Additionally, ROVATTS™ use of SDS’ AAcuity® IG provides the robust virtual environment (visual/sensor) needed to support realistic training, mission rehearsal, R&D, and T&E activities.

 

SDS’ ROVATTS™-based MQ-1 and MQ-9 Simulator systems are delivered as easy-to-use, hardware/software turnkey systems.  To ensure the systems provide both flexibility and training fidelity at affordable prices, SDS offers its turnkey systems in both Tabletop and Laptop versions, each using COTS computers and associated hardware (tables, displays and controls, as applicable).  The Tabletop version preserves system functionality and control station physical layout including correctly sized/placed displays, while providing ease of set-up/movement.  The Laptop version also preserves system functionality while increasing mobility and reducing system footprint by placing all functions (Tracker, Status, Command and HUD) in selectable windows on one COTS laptop per pilot and sensor operator station.  Either version is designed to operate in a common office environment using standard 120V AC power and uses COTS hardware components carrying commercial OEM warranties.

SDS International (SDS) recently delivered innovative, laptop-based RavenView™ tactical simulation training systems to United States Air Forces Central (USAFCENT), Shaw AFB, SC for use in training security forces in Raven-B operations.

 

RavenView™ systems delivered to USAFCENT by SDS’ Advanced Technologies Division, Orlando, FL, represent a significantly enhanced version of SDS’ Raven-B 3D viewer software originally developed in cooperation with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Wright Patterson AFB, OH to improve tactical simulation training of Raven-B personnel using actual Raven controls. Incorporating feedback from subject matter experts, the completely redesigned RavenView™ systems provide an affordable “plug-and-play” capability that adds significant training realism, increases training flexibility and improves usability for Warfighters operating the Raven-B and other Small Unmanned Air Vehicle (SUAV) Sims controlled by the Raven’s common Ground Control Station (GCS), all while preserving SUAV system capabilities and operator functions.

 

RavenView™ ensures cost-effective tactical-training realism by incorporating high-fidelity visualization provided by SDS’ AAcuity™ PC-IG and NEXWARS 3D Viewer technologies; including a variety of Open/Urban 3D terrains; and re-using existing OpenFlight and Terrapage terrains. In addition to supporting stand-alone training, RavenView™ provides proven DIS/HLA connectivity needed to interact with a variety of virtual (including I-FACT) and constructive simulations during locally-networked or long-haul Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) training activities. RavenView™ also significantly improves usability by adding a GUI-based Instructor Operator Station (IOS) incorporating one-stop initialization, database/camera selection and system shutdown; ground-based entity placement; RavenView™ generated EO/IR displays; SUAV Sim controls; and PFPS/FalconView/RPUAV software capabilities. All of these capabilities are integrated on one COTS laptop, eliminating the need for a Toughbook computer during simulation training.

 

RavenView™, which is available as a complete turnkey capability including COTS laptop and software, adds significant tactical training realism and worldwide mission rehearsal capability by allowing users to plan and execute specific SUAV Tactics, Techniques and Procedures in highly realistic virtual-environments using actual UAV controls.

 

SDS International (SDS) recently received a contract to deliver specialized versions of its ROVATTS™-based MQ-1 and MQ-9 Tabletop Simulators to the DMOC, Kirtland AFB, NM for use in Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) Warfighter training, testing, and experimentation.

 

ROVATTS™-based MQ-1 and MQ-9 Simulators are normally delivered as separate systems, each comprised of one Pilot and one Sensor Operator station.  However, each of the systems to be delivered to the DMOC by SDS’ Advanced Technologies Division, Orlando, FL will include both MQ-1 and MQ-9 Simulator software.  The resulting simulators, called PROST (MQ-1/MQ-9 Operational Simulator Trainer), will provide the DMOC with the flexibility needed to easily shift between MQ-1, MQ-9, or combined MQ-1/MQ-9 operations as training, testing, and/or experimentation requirements dictate.

 

Each PROST Tabletop simulator station (Pilot and Sensor Operator) is comprised of an adjustable, wheeled COTS table holding properly sized flat-panel displays for the HUD, Tracker, Command and Status Displays; a set of game-level rudders; and functioning keyboard, trackball, stick and throttles.  Each station has built-in DIS radio capability and can include additional controls/displays to accommodate other operational functions such as Merc Chat.  Each system also includes one laptop-based instructor-operator station providing mission planning, system operation, and after-action-review capabilities, which are particularly useful for standalone training.  Since ROVATTS™ systems are DIS/HLA capable, they can also operate with a variety of live, virtual, and constructive systems in either local or distributed exercises.

 

SDS’ ROVATTS™-based MQ-1 and MQ-9 Simulators are delivered as easy-to-use, hardware/software turnkey systems.  To ensure the systems provide both flexibility and training fidelity at affordable prices, SDS offers its turnkey systems in both Tabletop and Laptop versions, each using COTS computers and associated hardware (tables, displays and controls, as applicable). The Tabletop version preserves system functionality and control station physical layout including correctly sized/placed displays, while providing ease of set-up/ movement. The Laptop version also preserves system functionality while increasing mobility and reducing system footprint by placing all functions (Tracker, Status, Command and HUD) in selectable windows on one COTS laptop per Pilot and Sensor Operator station. Either version is designed to operate in a common office environment using standard 120V AC power and uses COTS hardware components carrying the commercial OEM warranty.

 

SDS International recently delivered an upgrade to its LiteFlite® Reconfigurable Simulator, consisting of High-Power Microwave (HPM) weapon system simulation capabilities for use by the Air Force Research Laboratory/Directed Energy Division (AFRL/DE), Kirtland AFB, NM.

 

Under this effort, SDS International’s Advanced Technologies Division developed, integrated and tested additional HPM plug-in component capabilities for SDS’ LiteFlite® simulator for use in Advanced Concept Event (ACE) ’09 exercises. The additional plug-in capabilities focus on a number of cruise missile (CM) planning, targeting, fly-out and camera improvements designed to add greater flexibility and realism to LiteFlite® HPM simulations particularly when participating in distributed exercises. The additional HPM plug-in capabilities add to the rapidly growing list of unique LiteFlite® capabilities, further demonstrating the flexibility and extensibility of LiteFlite®’s modular architecture. This architecture facilitates the development and integration of a variety of functions including complete aircraft/space systems, custom aero/astro models, panel instruments, engines, sensors, and weapons, as well as, the integration of other existing (third-party) simulation codes (aero, weapons, sensors, etc.).

 

SDS International announces the availability of RavenView™ -- an innovative, affordable PC-based product that allows Warfighters to conduct Small Unmanned Air Vehicle (SUAV) tactical training in highly-realistic, virtual worldwide environments using the SUAV™'s actual common Ground Control Station (GCS).

 

Working in cooperation with the US Air Force, SDS Advanced Technologies Division, developed and fielded this low-cost plug-and-play simulation tool that significantly enhances training using the Raven and other SUAV Simulators controlled by the Raven's common GCS. RavenView™ provides an improved training capability by integrating high-fidelity visualization into existing SUAV Simulation software, incorporating an easy-to-use GUI-based Instructor Operator Station, and consolidating key system functions on one COTS laptop, all while preserving the use of fielded PFPS/FalconView software and actual SUAV GCS hardware/software.

 

RavenView™'s use of SDS' AAcuity® PC-based Image Generator and NEXWARS™ 3D Viewer technology creates an unsurpassed simulation training capability based upon realistic visual/sensor environments including camera/sensor positioning, simulated day/night camera and infrared sensor views, realistic environmental/special effects, and a variety of geo-typical or photo-realistic geo-specific 3D terrains. RavenView™'s connectivity significantly increases training flexibility by supporting both stand-alone training using realistic tactical scenarios, terrains and scripted entities, and DIS/HLA networked training involving a variety of virtual and constructive simulations (including I-FACT) during either locally-networked or Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) training activities. RavenView™'s re-use of existing OpenFlight and TerraPage terrains provides additional training flexibility while lowering lowers training costs. And, RavenView™'s integration with SDS' GeoSource-RTB™ Rapid Terrain Builder software provides anytime, anywhere training capabilities using user-produced, geo-specific round-earth 3D-terrains of virtually any worldwide location.

 

RavenView™ adds significant tactical training realism and worldwide mission rehearsal capability by allowing users to plan and execute specific SUAV Tactics, Techniques and Procedures in highly realistic virtual-environments using actual UAV controls.