Continued Deployment of A-10 Full Mission Trainers to United States Air Force

The recent purchase of 30 MetaVR VRSG software licenses for the U.S. Air Force brings the total number of sales to 132 licenses for the A-10 Full Mission Trainer (FMT) program. Since its first purchase of MetaVR visual systems in 2001, the U.S. Air Force has been using MetaVR’s 3D real time rendering software to replace legacy visual systems and to equip new sites as part of a networked training system that trains US pilots for close air support missions.

	VRSG rendering of an A-10 entity flying over MetaVR's virtual Baghdad. Click to swap the visual and wireframe views. Click Zoom to see an enlarged version.

As the US Air Force modernizes the A-10 aircraft with new avionics and cockpits as part of the Precision Engagement program, pilots are also being trained on MetaVR-equipped Hands-On Throttle and Stick (HOTAS) simulators that have a subset of the FMT trainers capabilities.

A-10 Full Mission Trainer cockpit installation for the 103rd Tactical Fighter Group, Bradley Air National Guard Base, Connecticut. Simulator uses MetaVR multi-channel visual systems. Click the image to swap the view of the A-10 cockpit simulator to an out-the-window view.

Fourteen sites have MetaVR-based A-10 simulators: Air Force Research Lab, Mesa AZ Barksdale AFB, LA, Battlecreek AFB, MI , Bradley AFB, CT, Boise AFB, ID, Davis Montham AFB, AZ, Ft. Smith, AR, Mountain Home AFB, ID, Moody AFB, GA, New Orleans, LA, Osan AFB, Korea, Pope AFB, NC, Spangdahlem AFB, Germany, and Whiteman AFB, AR.

The base FMT simulator configuration uses MetaVR VRSG to drive a four-screen display configured to fit within a nine foot ceiling with an optional upgrade to a full 360 degree (eight channels) display. This operational configuration is a derivative of the Mobile Modular Display for Advanced Research and Training (M2DART). A fifth visual channel is used to provide the sensor view for the A-10 Maverick missile.

DTOC Event Control Center with VRSG running in the display on the right for observing and analyzing CAS missions. Image courtesy of Air National Guard.

The MetaVR visual systems are delivered with government-furnished equipment (GFE) terrain databases that entail no cost or licensing fees. The 3D terrain databases are compatible with multiple customer applications of MetaVR technology.

    
On the left is MetaVR's real-time simulation of an A-10 with 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany unit marking flying over Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. On the right is a photograph of an A-10 Thunderbolt II from the 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany flying over southern Germany. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Rose Reynolds.) Click an image to see a high-resolution version of the image.

All MetaVR visual systems were delivered with the latest version of VRSG software, which contains MetaVR's 3D content libraries. The 3D military vehicle library, which contains a significant number of unique entity models, includes the distributed mission training (DMT) 3D model set at no additional charge.