Nellis Air Force Base Warriors to Commence Training on Upcoming F-35 Simulator in the Year 2025
Let's dive into the nitty-gritty of the Joint Simulation Environment (JSE) – the Air Force's promising, game-changing virtual battleground. Expected to hit the battlefield in 2025, this high-fidelity, simulated battlespace is going to be the heart and soul of fifth-generation warfighter training at the Joint Integrated Test and Training Center Nellis (JITTC-N) in Nevada. By 2028, it's all systems go for full integration.
HII, in cahoots with the Air Force and Navy, is a key player in turbocharging JSE's development. The goal: beat America's adversaries to the punch. As the lead contractor at JITTC-N, HII supports capability studies, battlespace and platform integration, and software development tasks.
Mike Aldinger, HII Mission Technologies' vice president for Live, Virtual, Constructive (LVC), puts it bluntly: "Today's training ranges can't keep up with the fifth-gen platforms." He explains that these platforms require ample space for complex training scenarios and high-threat densities, a luxury modern ranges can't offer.
Get ready for the initial JSE instantiation at JITTC-N in 2025, where eight warfighters can train on F-35 platforms in a real-time combat simulation against eight Virtual Adversary Training Sims (VATS). The ultimate goal is to expand the battlespace to accommodate larger and larger-scale simulations as the JSE's prowess grows.
Initially, the F-35 will be the primary platform at JITTC-N, but there are plans to integrate other badass planes like the F-22 and E-7. Within five years, JITTC-N will be a fully joint training ground for multiple platforms across multiple services, including those of coalition partner nations.
According to John Bell, the chief technology officer for Mission Technologies, the JSE aims to provide a standardized simulation environment that all platforms can employ. He envisions a modular, platform-agnostic cockpit – a dream come true for fighter pilots everywhere.
JITTC-N's integration journey is merely the tip of the iceberg, Bell notes. It's an ongoing work in progress, evolving long after IOC in 2025. As combat techniques morph, simulation systems must follow suit. And since HII has already shown its skills in creating those systems for the Navy, they're well-equipped to conquer the JSE frontier.
Want to know more about HII's role in shaping the future of joint warfighter training? Dive deeper here.
Pilots training with fifth-generation platforms will soon find themselves in a realistic virtual battleground, as the space within the Joint Simulation Environment (JSE) will accommodate complex training scenarios and high-threat densities, thanks to the technology-driven development spearheaded by HII. The JSE will eventually allow for the integration of various aircraft, such as the F-22 and E-7, transforming JITTC-N into a joint training ground for multiple platforms across multiple services.
