B-1B simulators go from 'Mario Brothers to Halo' Published April 20, 2011 By Airman 1st Class Alessandra N. Gamboa 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. (AFNS) -- The Air Force is currently upgrading four B-1B Lancer simulators here and at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. The $18.4 million project, which is scheduled for completion in September, will fully update visual and sensor databases, as well as projectors and display screens, of the original system built in the mid-90s. The updates to training capabilities include improved real-beam radar and high-resolution ground mapping radar pictures, making them comparable to aircraft radar imagery. "Visual and sensor system upgrades also provide imagery to the trainer's laptop-controlled targeting pod display in both electro-optical and infrared modes," said Quinten Miklos, the B-1 simulator project officer. "The benefits of this upgrade include greatly increased sustainability and ease of maintenance for weapon system trainers. The impact of training realism for the aircrew will be immediate and significant." Col. Jeffrey Taliaferro, the 28th Bomb Wing commander, visited the simulators to experience these changes firsthand, and remarked on the importance of these upgrades for the base, combatant commanders and the joint community. "These upgrades signal a dramatic improvement in our visuals - we've gone from 'Mario Brothers' to 'Halo,'" Colonel Taliaferro said. "This kind of enhancement to training resources is significant because we will be able to train aircrew more effectively, complete more training and, as a result, build greater combat capability. We live in an era where each flying hour is precious."