Today's warfighters operate some of the most technologically advanced vehicles, aircraft, and weapons systems, and to do so effectively and safely, they require the most sophisticated simulation and training systems. L-3 Link Simulation & Training (Arlington, TX), a division of L-3 Communications, is a leader in providing advanced simulation systems and training services for both U.S. and international military services. Defense Tech Briefs recently spoke to Frank Delisle, L-3 Link's Vice President of Engineering and Technology, about current technologies used to help train the warfighter, the challenges involved in networked training and simulation, and how the gaming industry is helping to advance the state of the art in "urban environment" training.

A pilot trains in an F/A-18C simulator. (L-3 Link)

The training media we provide spans the gamut from basic computer-based training and interactive courseware, to introductory training, to full Level D-certified simulation and high-fidelity training devices. We can provide all those capabilities in the schoolhouse. Depending on the particular program, we can deliver "soup to nuts" — everything in the process.

We don't do any training at our locations. All training and simulation operations are done at the customer's sites — government-owned and contractor-operated facilities or GOCOs. All training is done within their environment and is driven by security issues they want to manage and control. Most of the schoolhouses are at the customer's facilities.

DTB: When you begin developing a new training system, how closely do you work with the pilots or operators who will be using the system?

Delisle: When we start developing solutions and working with the customer, we always form a team that includes the customer and what's called subject matter experts — mostly pilots and other operators on the customer side. We join them as an integrated product team that includes, on our side, our own subject matter experts so that we have a complete understanding of the user requirements. It always starts with the user and understanding the warfighter requirements. What do they actually need for training? You need to start there when you're composing a training solution.

As a team, we also provide a core competency called instructional system development (ISD). That's where we provide the expertise in training and training delivery with our instructional system developers, psychologists — people who understand how you train, what you train, and how often you have to do something, and what type of particular tasks you need to provide for training delivery and retention.

You couple them with the ISD staff, and then we bring in the last element, which is engineering operations. There is a technical team that supports this team to really compose the total solution. The process involves, right up front, all the stakeholders on all sides before we launch off any details together. That's the first step in the process — you really need to understand all the stakeholder values and the acquisition command — getting it on time and on budget.