Combat training goes rangeless

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Ryan Hansen
  • Air Armament Center Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFPN) --  The P5 Combat Training System introduced recently promises to revolutionize training by allowing warfighting pilots to test their skills anywhere, versus in limited air space, according to Air Armament Center officials here.

The system uses pods that communicate with each other. The pods enable air-to-air and air-to-ground combat training to be achieved and debriefed virtually anywhere, according to Bruce Ringstad, the system’s program manager.

Previously, aircrews had to deploy to a range so pilots could communicate with a ground tower for combat training, he said. Those days are history, thanks to the pods communicating with each other and recording training actions which can be viewed and evaluated from ground systems.

"This training is much more realistic and timely for the pilots," Ringstad said. "During combat scenarios, the aircraft talk to themselves, and the pilots then fly back to base where the information is downloaded from the pods into a ground debriefing system. Or, we can still do it at a fixed range where the system will interface with ground training infrastructure to provide battle force commanders and pilots real-time information."

Although the system is not a traditional joint program, Navy officials have been deeply involved in this cooperative effort since the beginning so their warfighters can also benefit from this new training system, Ringstad said.

"It's been a true team effort," said Nick Mirales, Navy tactical combat training system program manager. "The real key is to ensure interservice interoperability.

"The Department of Defense stresses joint operations with the all of its forces, and this system can facilitate training between the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force units. This will be pivotal for joint national training capability in the future," Mirales said.

Besides its rangeless capability, Ringstad said the system will also offer an enhanced security system and increase the geographical size of the areas in which aircrews train. It will also provide real-time “kill” notification to pilots during combat training sorties and increase the number of participants who can take part in the training.

"With the majority of current training systems, our pilots are restricted to training in an area that's limited by the ground system's range," Ringstad said. "Since the training pods are mobile and communicate with each other, pilots can train in any area. This … system will open a lot more airspace."

But for the Navy, it is the rangeless capability of the system that makes them take notice most, according to Mirales.

"We have one aircraft carrier, the CV-63 Kittyhawk, which is stationed in Japan, and (its) air wing does not return to the states during (its) interdeployment training cycle," Mirales said. "With this system being rangeless and deployable, our forces can conduct instrumented training continuously while they are deployed. That's a big benefit for the fleet."

Besides being an excellent training system for all service branches, Ringstad said officials also plan to include America's allies in the training.

"Eventually this system will go worldwide," Ringstad said. "It's going to have a lot of capabilities, enabling us and our allies to train like we fight."

Ringstad said the system will be fielded within 18 months with the first operational units located here. (Courtesy of Air Force Materiel Command News Service)