Abrams Training Aids Devices Simulators and Simulations

“I engaged the enemy with that new canister round at 1,100 meters but it had no effect!”1 Live and virtual gunnery training, prior to deployment and employment could have prevented this, but we have struggled to implement either. As the user representative for the Abrams fleet and armor crewman, part of our charter is to manage and prioritize improvements to the Abrams training aids, devices, simulators, and simulations (TADSS). We struggled to get canister added to the standards in training commission (STRAC); it is now there, even if limited to only two rounds per crew. Currently, Abrams gunnery devices are being upgraded with the canister round capability. Ideally, this should have been completed 6 months prior to fielding the canister round in Iraq, but the round was rushed to theater based on an urgent operational needs statement (ONS). This is but one example of the improvements we have been working on with our acquisition partners in the Product Manager (PM) Abrams Office, Warren, Michigan, and Program Executive Office Simulations Training (PEO STRI), Orlando, Florida. Several new capabilities are being made available to the field and the Armor School, which include additions to the M1A2 SEP advanced gunnery training system (AGTS) and later to the M1A1 conduct of fire trainer (COFT)-AGTS, an investment of over $7 million. PM Ground Combat Tactical Trainers (PM GCTT)/ PEO STRI recently added a military operations on urbanized terrain (MOUT) database for section and platoon training to the M1A2 SEP AGTS. The U.S. Marine Corps developed this database for their M1A1 COFT-AGTS using Joint Readiness Training Center urban terrain. The Army borrowed this software and integrated it into the AGTS. It is not perfect; an unaware tank commander will hit buildings or poles, if he is not careful with the tank’s main gun orientation, and end the exercise sooner than planned. By doctrine, it is limited to section or platoon as the Armor Center does not support tanks operating individually in urban operations for survivability reasons. The PM GCTT also added a Korean terrain database to the M1A2 SEP AGTS. In its latest software upgrade to the AGTS, PM GCTT will add five special-purpose exercises for canister training using the following databases: desert, European, Korean, and urban. With this upgrade, crews will quickly learn when it is appropriate to use canister as they learn the round’s capabilities and limitations. During these special-purpose exercises, the crew will have access to the MOUT database. The AGTS software will also be upgraded with the joint combat identification marking system (JCIMS), the M829A3 sub-designation, and later be aligned with the new gunnery manual yet to be published.2 Lastly, a long-range goal is to upgrade many of the AGTSs to the mobile configuration. Two mobile AGTSs (MAGTS) are in Baghdad, Iraq; one is at Fort Bliss, Texas, for the 1st Cavalry; and one is at Fort Carson, Colorado, for the 4th Infantry Division. Another four have been contracted for 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Hood, and one is scheduled for delivery in 2008 to Fort Bliss, Texas, to support the experimental brigade combat team and the 1st Armored Division. The M1A1 COFT-AGTS is also scheduled to be upgraded alongside the AGTS with a more complex “Middle Eastern” MOUT database, which was also developed by the U.S. Marine Corps. The image generator in the current AGTS cannot process this database and requires additional funding for a future upgrade; the M1A1 COFT-AGTS will have new image generators installed, completing a re-hosting effort that began several years ago. The M1A1 COFT-AGTS will also finally get some of its initial production “bugs” corrected. Beginning in April 2007, the COFT-AGTS will have the correct .50-caliber sound; a more Abrams Training Aids Devices Simulators and Simulations by Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Harris Above, a mobile AGTS; at right, inside the mobile AGTS. March-April 2007 — 49 realistic limit on the amount of .50-caliber ammunition available; long-range, special-purpose exercises limited to below 4,000 meters in accordance with the tank’s limitations; corrected gunner’s auxiliary sight reticle size and color; corrected forward unity periscope; and all of the improvements highlighted for the AGTS. Work has also started to add the canister capability to the close combat tactical trainer. Other TADSS improvements for the armor force and Armor School are forthcoming. The PM procured 61 improved through site video recording (TSVR) systems primarily used with the M1A2 SEP. These new systems are being fielded and Fort Bliss and Fort Carson will each receive 14; Fort Hood will receive 28; and Fort Benning and Fort Knox will each receive 2. The system will work on any variant of Bradley or tank, but is required to capture the commander’s independent thermal viewer (CITV) imagery of the M1A2 SEP. The system is in final testing stages and requires additional hardware to work with the Bradley. Once this work is complete, over the next 6 to 12 months, these systems will be available at the fielded installations’ training support centers (TSC) for use on gunnery tables for video augmented after-action reviews. For the Armor School and 63A-series advanced individual training (AIT), the PM recently installed a digital M1A1 Abrams integrated management (AIM), with embedded diagnostics (M1A1 AIM/ED), virtual classroom. Even though fielding for the M1A1 AIM/ED began in mid-2002, the school had no way to train 63A mechanics on the tank’s upgrades other than with four “for training only” M1A1 AIM/ED tanks. The actual tank is not the best way to crawl, walk, run an AIT student, and four tanks could not support the increasing student demand for M1A1 AIM/ED training. Within the past year, the PM delivered an additional eight M1A1 AIM/ED tanks, a more than $16 million investment to improve the 63A course. The PM has also contracted PEO STRI to convert five M1A1 hands-on turret trainers (HOTT) to the M1A1 AIM/ED configuration, which will support the walk phase of 63A training, an $11 million investment. Again, better late than never, the situation is gradually improving. Future plans include converting the last M1A2 HOTT to the M1A2 SEP configuration as the last M1A2s in the Army have been turned in for conversion to the M1A2 SEP. Congress has also directed that the Army procure and field an in-bore subcaliber training device for the Abrams called the advanced in-bore marksmanship training enhancement system for tanks (AIMTEST). This device can be used during gunnery training in lieu of dry-fire or the tank weapons gunnery simulation system (TWGSS), and for remedial training when there is a shortage of 120mm training ammunition or when surface danger zone 50 — March-April 2007 At left, an M1A1 AIM/ED HOTT; above right, an M1A2 SEP HOTT The AIMTEST in-bore .50-caliber training device issues are present. The PM has already procured 209 AIMTEST devices, and this year, will procure an additional 173. The distribution plan for this device by the end of FY07 is: Fort Benning .......................................................... 22 Fort Bliss .............................................................. 56 Fort Carson ........................................................... 42 Fort Hood ............................................................. 84 Fort Irwin ............................................................... 8 Fort Knox .............................................................. 8 Korea .................................................................. 14 Kuwait ................................................................. 24 Fort Riley ............................................................. 28 Fort Stewart .......................................................... 42 Gowen Field — 116th HBCT ........................................ 8 Fort Indian Town Gap — 28th HBCT ................................ 8 Camp Shelby/Fort Polk — 155th HBCT ........................... 12 Fort Campbell/Smyrna — 278th HBCT ............................. 8 Fort Lewis — 81st HBCT ............................................. 8 Fort Bragg — 30th HBCT ............................................ 8 Aberdeen Proving Ground ........................................... 2 The only training device that will not be upgraded any time soon is the Armor School’s tank driver trainer (TDT). Fielded in 1990, and last upgraded in 1995 with the M1A2 enhancements, this simulator has saved millions of operational tempo (OPTEMPO) dollars safely training Abrams drivers. The TDT uses very large and energy inefficient image generators, which have been out of production for several years. Recently, the Kuwait Land Forces upgraded their Abrams driver simulators, which resulted in extra repair parts for the U.S. systems. Additionally, since the size of the armor force decreased due to the conversion of several Army National Guard Abrams units to light infantry, the student through-put has decreased, resulting in two systems that can be consumed for repair parts. This practice is not the long-term solution for the TDT; it could also use a database improvement similar to the COFT-AGTS MOUT upgrade. To do this, TSM Abrams submitted a budget request for $4 million in 2008-2009 to upgrade these extremely valuable simulators.3 Soldiers face many challenges when searching for time to conduct traditional tank training, current operating environment training, Warrior task training, and added cultural training — we understand that time is the limiting factor. We are also trying to reduce the amount of time it takes to mount all of these appended training devices. The goal is to embed some limited capabilities to better support those unscheduled “training” opportunities. A limited embedded, thermal only, gunnery training capability is currently under development. The system would use the maintenance support device to access the information operations functions, similar to the AGTS and COFT-AGTS, and allow for after-action reviews from within the tank. This capability would also better support sustainment training while deployed to places such as Iraq, where it is frequently a combat mission to transport armor crewmen to the few mobile gunnery simulators located at Camp Victory or in Kuwait. Ultimately, every soldier wants a tank that can support training and requires no set-up time. Future force-on-force and forceon-target technology exploration has begun, but it is too early to predict an expected fielding date or to assess how much time would really be saved. For the immediate future, do not hesitate to voice any concerns you have about the current suite of Abrams TADSS to TSMABRAMS@knox.army.mil. Notes 1Recent complaint from soldier in OIF. 2JCIMS is the new term for the combat identification panels (CIP) first used during OIF; and M829A3 is the newest kinetic energy round for the Abrams 120mm cannon. 3In December 2005, the Army prepared its budget request to the President for the years 2008- 2013. Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Harris is currently the assistant Training and Doctrine Command Capability Manager HBCT, Fort Knox, KY. He received a B.S. from the U.S. Military Academy and an M.S. from Central Michigan University. His military education includes Airborne School, Armor Officer Basic Course, Armor Officer Advanced Course, and U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He has served in various command and staff positions, to include assistant product manager for large caliber (Abrams) ammunition, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ; administrative contracting officer, Lima Army Tank Plant, Lima, OH; combined arms team armor advisor, 42d Army National Guard, Fort Dix, NJ; commander, HHC, 1st Battalion, 70th Armor, 194th Separate Infantry Brigade, Fort Knox, KY; and scout platoon leader, D Troop, 4th Cavalry, 197th Separate Infantry Brigade, Fort Benning, GA. The Abrams Tank Driver Trainer March-April 2007 — 51