Autor fotografie: Editorial Team SM|Popisek: Member of Editorial Team trying LAND SIMULATION
At Eurosatory 2024 our editorial team had the unique opportunity to test the system developed by Rheinmetall for simulations of modern military technology. We bring you an exclusive report describing our experience with this very sophisticated system called LAND SIMULATION.
The operations simulator, named LAND SIMULATION, was placed directly on the stand of the German company Rheinmetall at Eurosatory 2024, Europe's largest military technology fair. Any visitor of the fair could try out the various military operations of this device. The LAND SIMULATION system was created directly by Rheinmetall and its programmers, who understand both computer and military technology. LAND SIMULATION is essentially a very successful computer simulation that can be used both for training soldiers and in actual combat situation of confrontation with enemy.
LAND SIMULATOR from German Rheinmetall
While testing the simulator, our editorial team had the unique opportunity to speak directly with one of the programmers, who not only explained the overall functions of the system and its operation, but also specified possible future potential that this technology could bring. The version used for the exercise works on the principle of simulated military operations, in which can soldiers practice their skills in commander mode or as part of another heavy machine crew member.
A specific machines and all its combat capabilities are programmed into the simulator. Based on the simulation of a predetermined military scenario, the soldier subsequently practices his reactions, but also the proficiency of technical control of the equipment. At Eurosatory 2024 was possible to try out a simulated operation of the new machine, which was developed as part of a collaboration between Rheinmetall and KNDS, a Skyranger platform primarily designed for the elimination of aerial threats on a Leopard 2 tracked chassis.
Testing the basic mission in LAND SIMULATION
In the simulator we first tested the basic machine control and turret rotation. After mastering these tasks, staff of Rheinmetall explained us the handling of the more complicated radar systems, which proved their ability to detect threats in the crew's field of view. On the basis of its evaluation, the internal computer in the machine itself recommended the appropriate way to disarm it, prepared the appropriate ammunition and then also the entire Skyranger/Leopard machine to execute the attack. Subsequently, it was only necessary to confirm the operation and the enemy object was automatically fired upon.
Simulation capable of sending a reconnaissance and suicide UAV
Rheinmetall's simulator at Eurosatory 2024, however, also offered a slightly different, more complicated, but at the same time much more complex mission that worked with a reconnaissance and suicide UAV. Radar first targeted objects outside the field of view of the machine's crew, and then a reconnaissance drone was sent to the enemy vehicles. The system's screen could be switched to the UAV's camera and our team could watch the drone's flight live. When the UAV flew to the location of the foreign objects, its artificial intelligence itself evaluated what kind of machine it was and how likely it was the Soviet T-72 tanks.
After the reconnaissance UAV locked onto enemy vehicles, a suicide drone could be sent to the coordinates. Also with this UAV, a live feed from its camera could be monitored up to the moment the drone hit the T-72 tank. This way we were able to evaluate whether the mission was carried out successfully or not. LAND SIMULATION, however, does not only serve to prepare soldiers for possible military operations, as was the case with the simulator that our editorial team tried out. According to the Rheinmettal representative and the programmer who commented on the simulation for us, all modern heavy military equipment meeting NATO standards can be equipped with this system.
Basically, any modern military machine, whose parameters are entered into the LAND SIMULATION system in advance, can be equipped with an internal calculator, which can create a simulation of the mission and evaluate the probability of success of the attack before it is carried out. This groundbreaking technology, designed to train but also to make combat for heavy army vehicle crews easier, therefore has two main advantages, according to Rheinmetall representatives: increasing soldier safety during missions and saving the costs associated with training and testing the new technology. Heavy military vehicle crews can thus spend hours on the simulator preparing for possible combat deployment, which leads to a major improvement in their knowledge.
However, simulations can be evaluated after they are run, which can lead to improvements in the technology of the military machines themselves. Simulations can also significantly reduce the cost of weapons testing, as new technologies can be tested virtually and relatively reliably by entering parameters into the program. The use of sophisticated simulations directly in combat, however, substantially reduces the risk to which soldiers may be exposed on the battlefield. In fact, by using reconnaissance and suicide UAVs, the crew does not have to disappear from their safe hiding place and can attack the enemy without giving him a chance to notice them. LAND SIMULATION is therefore undoubtedly a ground-breaking technology that will only become more sophisticated in the years to come, making complex military operations easier.