| The technologically advanced equipment that | | | | The main benefits of this approach over using real |
| provides the capability for modern warfare | | | | equipment can be summarised as: |
| demands that people responsible for its | | | | 1. Increased student throughput - The system is |
| maintenance are much more technology literate | | | | always available to the student. There is no |
| than any previous generation. | | | | requirement for the real system to be available, |
| New high performance, fast jet, aircraft systems, | | | | enabling maintenance procedures to be replicated |
| such as EFA Typhoon and Joint Strike Fighter | | | | many times on many single ‘virtual’ |
| (JSF), are defined as half jet, half computer. The | | | | systems, such as high performance, fast jet |
| maintenance crews of these aircraft will be | | | | aircraft. |
| working with sophisticated computer systems | | | | 2. Lower costs - providing real equipment requires |
| unheard of with today’s legacy aircraft. This, | | | | a higher initial cost and incurs a high budget to |
| by its very nature, redefines the required | | | | support the in-service life span in terms of spares |
| maintenance skills and offers new opportunities in | | | | and repairs to frequently used equipment. |
| the way knowledge is acquired. | | | | 3. Safe training environment - students can not |
| Additionally, as the military strives to operate | | | | damage the equipment and can learn a job in a |
| within ever tightening defence budgets, there is | | | | potentially harmful working environment without |
| less likely to be money available to fund additional | | | | risk to themselves. |
| pieces of equipment for strictly training purposes. | | | | 4. Ability to inject more realistic faults - |
| All equipment procured must be available for | | | | Instructors can inject faults with ease and then |
| operations, and it is becoming increasingly | | | | immediately reset the system for the next task. |
| common for maintenance technicians to only | | | | The faults include diagnostic procedures that |
| interact with and gain system knowledge when | | | | would be hard to replicate on real equipment |
| the new equipment is already in service. | | | | without causing it serious damage. |
| To address these issues, the construct of the | | | | 5. Ability to aid instructor functionality - Instructors |
| maintenance classroom is changing. Where | | | | can monitor students as they undertake tasks; |
| students were primarily taught using text books, | | | | demonstrate particularly complex procedures for |
| wiring diagrams and old or out of service physical | | | | the students on their PC; record student |
| equipment, today’s computer literate students | | | | performance and playback for debrief as well as |
| utilise Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) | | | | evaluate and store student progress through an |
| computer-based training devices that provide a | | | | integrated learning management system. |
| desktop ’virtual system’ that looks, feels | | | | 6. Team Training Tasks - Many maintenance |
| and reacts exactly like the real system. | | | | training tasks require maintenance technicians to |
| Properly managed and modelled virtual | | | | work in teams. The virtual maintenance system |
| maintenance training systems can recreate any | | | | allows students on individual computers to interact |
| complex system, to any level of detail. This is | | | | with each other and simultaneously undertake a |
| then dependent on a system creating a truly | | | | team training task. |
| virtual free-play environment that allows the | | | | 7. Multi-Configuration Scenarios - The majority of |
| student to view and interact with the system in | | | | new military equipment now requires simultaneous |
| any way they want, and be confident that the | | | | training on a range of variants. An example of this |
| consequences of their actions replicate precisely | | | | is the JSF which comprises conventional takeoff |
| any interactions with the real equipment. | | | | and landing (CTOL), short takeoff vertical landing |
| The real value of such a virtual free-play | | | | (STOVL) and carrier suitable (CV) variants. |
| environment comes when an instructor has the | | | | Systems such as the JSF are also likely to be in |
| ability to inject faults, the effects of which | | | | service for at least the next 30 years and there |
| propagate through the equipment and result in | | | | will be a requirement to upgrade component |
| symptoms which can be observed and then | | | | systems of the aircraft as technology continues |
| diagnosed by the student. This enables students | | | | to advance. Using a virtual maintenance training |
| to learn maintenance tasks such as fault isolation | | | | system, the instructor is able to quickly |
| detection, remove/replace procedures, operational | | | | reconfigure the training simulation to any number |
| functional check, and maintenance task rehearsals. | | | | of concurrent operational builds. |
| This learning experience can be further enhanced | | | | The economic and operational benefits that virtual |
| by students’ ability to interface real or | | | | maintenance training systems can deliver are well |
| modelled equipment, such as test sets and | | | | proven. However, some – such as VEGA |
| prognostic systems, directly with the virtual | | | | group - believes it is the extent to which these |
| system. This furthers the learning experience by | | | | maintenance training systems are now deployed |
| allowing the maintenance technicians to learn how | | | | that will determine the level of improved |
| to operate the tools that they will go on to use in | | | | performance in front line equipment. |
| the operational role. | | | | |