How videogames and VR are also shaping military tactics and Operations around the World
Rishav tries to analyse the significance of professional video games in training military forces around the world, and offering them a wide range of flexibilities for combat simulations.
Just like humans, technology has also evolved throughout the generations. The early iterations were primitive, weak and more vulnerable to threats while the modern-day variants are quite developed, robust, and adaptive. One such domain of technology is video gaming, one that is still regarded as just a bootless errand in common households. However, the significance of videogame has already broken the barriers of casual refreshment for people, and reached the serious levels of professional military-grade training, covering conventional soldiers to even commanders. And multiple factors have driven it to this stage.
Create any form of environment virtually, anytime
There is a dedicated category of videogames, referred to as “sandbox”. These are specially aimed platforms that focus on expanding players’ creativity. It helps in simulating various scenarios by placing multiple virtual assets on the given terrain. For example, we can create a situation in Afghanistan by using an arid terrain, containing mountains, cliffs, and small-scale infrastructure, then placing infantry and other virtual representation of combat units. A tactically realistic videogame will be able to simulate near-accurate results, allowing the viewers to witness how combat will unfold in its most basic form. The simulations can also be carried out independently by Artificial Intelligence, or the human brain at either one side or both sides.
The evolution of Virtual Reality (VR) is offering a great degree of realism
If someone asks to define VR, it is all about bringing real-world things into a virtual environment. Modern VR systems are able to offer so much visual and simulation realism which can let the user enjoy the bulk of the experience, which includes 360-degree coverage of the environment, which also allows the trainee to study any system as well. For example, a virtually created interior of any combat vehicle or aircraft like the cockpit of a Su-30MKI will be easy to explore by a trainee cadet who needs early exposure to the complex set of internal facilities inside a fighter jet’s cockpit, which includes a plethora of instruments, screens, switches, etc. Later, however, they would definitely go through the complete conversion training including physical experience inside a real cockpit and flying course which will be necessary for their qualification. Many Indian startup companies are also offering VR solutions, as both training and combat aid solutions. While many are still in development and trial phases, a small proportion is also deployed on small scale and looking forward to being expanded in coming years as forces get familiar with these technologies along with their maturity.
VR-based training in Indian Air Force
Pilots from the USAF 355th Training Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. Via: The Drive-The Warzone
Promote an affordable and safe environment
A full package simulator requires a large space and commodities for proper setup, plus logistical and technical support for long-term uninterrupted operation. However, a videogame integrated simulator does not need a big hall or crores of investment for an excellent setup. In fact, a monitor, a CPU, a keyboard, HOTAS, and Throttle devices paired with wireframe can do the job very precisely. And VR headset as an add-on can provide the desired low-cost setup which gives a good enough training environment for the cadet. Also, it removes the challenge of having dedicated physically existing replicas of the system that will be simulated. In fact, with VR, it can be implemented virtually and hence, one simulator can be used in training for more than one system, or environment. The United States Air Force (USAF) 355th wing, already uses a similar concept for training fighter pilots on the A-10 attack aircraft, which is a dedicated close air support aircraft in the service. Speaking of safety, such simulators are also helpful for Air Forces with low budgets since their trainee pilots would be able to score high hours on the simulator and fine-tune their skills before jumping into the real cockpit and facing other extreme challenges which can be experienced only in real sorties, at least for now.
Beneficial for non-combat training
Apart from combat, a military work environment also demands several other skills for smooth functioning and precision decision-making. It includes being aware of the culture, language and people in the area of culture. Indian Armed Forces are regular participants in UN Peacekeeping forces which is entirely different from the Indian subcontinent in every domain. Soldiers need to be familiar with the civilian population, their culture, and their language so that they would be able to cooperate with each other, which is necessary since UNPKF operations also include having healthy relationships with the civilian population of their area of operation. US Marine Corps had a dedicated game in 2006-07 called Tactical Iraqi Language and Culture Training System (TILTS), which would educate them about the Arabic language and culture practiced in Iraq. The game turned out effective due to the fact that the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines which was the unit to get training on the videogame, managed to be the first unit of the service to return back from Iraq deployment without any fatalities. TILTS was credited for the fact that soldiers were able to communicate with the local mob and solve disputes.
Real-time data collection
Virtual Simulations allow real-time quick data collection and analysis. For example, if someone is practicing in a virtual shooting range, the results regarding their accuracy, range, and speed can be presented very quickly since it is all conducted by the computer itself without human involvement, while in actual shooting ranges, manpower is required to study and judge the quality of the shooter. If the shooter or the instructor is disappointed by the performance, they can restart the same training session to improve the quality. They can also customise the session by placing new virtual challenges and aids to study the shooter’s potential in different situations.
Dedicated wargaming strategy games allow a great understanding of potential actions
There is another genre of video gaming called strategy games which is entirely based on players’ decision-making skills. Unlike most of the other common videogame genres, strategy games require the player to think of both short-term and long-term outcomes of their decisions. In varieties of strategy games available strategy games, players control their own fictional country, where they have to take decisions related to the economy, politics, and military as well. Consider it unlike shooting games where we play as a soldier, in strategy games, we roleplay as a general, or even president. And hence, their decision can cause large-scale effects. Therefore, only a brainiac needs to be on the chair to properly guide his units to victory. One of the strategy games to focus dedicatedly on military simulation is Command Modern Operations: Naval Operations, where the player can simulate multiple battle scenarios and see how effectively the weapons will perform if pitched against various adversaries and through various situations. While the publicly available version has limitations, the one made exclusively for military forces contains an accurate set of data associated with their weapons and platforms, which has impressed multiple armed forces around the world, like the US, UK, Japan, Ecuador, Finland, Germany and France, officers of whom are trained on this game so that they would be able to conduct a thorough review of their planning and gain an idea regarding the outcomes of their planning before realworld execution. Defence contractors like BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin are equally determined to pitch this strategy game for various purposes like testing the quality of their systems virtually. Let’s look at some popular videogames which are currently adopted by some military forces.
Known examples
DCS World: This is a professional combat aircraft simulator videogame, where a wide range of combat aircraft and rotorcraft are available to fly, that too with pure immersion, which means every button of the cockpit is accessible. And as mentioned earlier, the USAF is utilising it for training its A10 pilots. The base setup uses systems like VR, joystick, and throttle. This video game is a safe, low-cost but at the same time, equivalent solution for pilot training.
Command Modern Operations: It is a professional role-playing strategy game that has a near-accurate weapon database and event simulation algorithm. Here, a player can plan his strategies and plan his offensive accordingly, which can include where to place the strike teams, when to deploy, from where to enter the hostile territory, etc. The capabilities of each weapon play a significant role in deciding the outcome of the simulation. This is the reason why many armies in the West and various defence companies are also using a professional version of this game to polish their weapons, tactics, and decision-making.
Arma-Virtual Battlespace: Arma 3 is a military First Person Shooter (FPS) plus sandbox game where one can engage in realistic combat situations and play various soldier roles, and use equipment, like that of a medic, sniper, or fireteam leader, performing tasks like calling fire support by marking co-ordinates, or be fire-support themselves and aim precisely at the target coordinates, etc. The US Army has been using a professional version of Arma 3 for a long time, Virtual Battle Space to provide tactical training to its soldiers. Overall if we observe, these video games are incapable (today) to replace the traditional mode of training. But since these technologies already started integrating into the forces slowly, eventually they are likely to attain an influential role as modern-day training and combat solutions with a large influence on refining the capability of a military. Where will India stand then?
By Rishav (Twitter @_devildog_rv_)