TMI Simulation Solutions chooses MAK ONE as the software solution for the Malaysian Army’s AV8 Light Combat Turret training simulation system 

In March 2022, TMI Simulation Solutions was awarded a contract by Denel Land Systems (DLS) to deliver two AV8 Turret Training Simulators to train gunners, commanders, and drivers of the AV8 Gempita, an 8x8 Armoured Fighting Vehicle. With only a 12-month contract to finalize the training simulators – complete with simulation software, electro-mechanical hardware, and instructor operator stations – TMI hit the ground running on their search for reliable, high-performance simulation software that catered to contract requirements and was easy to modify.

TMI evaluated simulation software companies across the globe for the job, and even considered developing the software in-house…but ultimately chose the MAK ONE suite of simulation software from MAK Technologies. MAK ONE was the tried and tested set of simulation tools already used on several Light Combat Turret systems fitted to wheeled and tracked vehicles.

“MAK ONE’s database of extensive militarized aerial, naval, and terrestrial vehicle platforms reduced our technical risks and enabled us to deliver a world class solution in ten months from placement of order to installation onsite,” said Thivash Moodley, CEO of TMI Simulation Solutions.

TMI was able to easily create multiple missions, add terrain databases, and rapidly integrate radios, hand controls, battle panels, switch panels and other OEM specific hardware, which fast-tracked development and significantly reduced test and evaluation effort. The ballistics models for the machine guns, cannons, and missiles are based on models calibrated against extensive firing trials, which helped TMI incorporate “gun jump” to improve the hit-miss accuracy.

“TMI has designed and developed more than 100 complex multi-platform simulation systems over our 15-year history, but never have we exceeded our own expectations to complete a multi-vehicle, multi-role player simulation solution in 10 months – all thanks to MAK ONE and the MAK management and support teams,” said Mr. Moodley. “Thank you, MAK, for your invaluable contribution to help TMI deliver another successful global project. Our entire team is still awed by the speed, performance, and quality with which you helped us deliver these two turret training simulators.”

To learn more about how the MAK ONE suite of simulation software can help you reach your simulation & training goals, get in touch with us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

MAK ONE Technology Enhances Search and Rescue Missions in Vietnam

Le Quy Don Technical University is developing search and rescue (SAR) simulation-based training systems built with the MAK ONE suite of simulation tools, including MAK’s VR-Forces, VR-Engage, VR-Vantage, and the MAK Data Logger. 

Vietnam is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, and the impact of global warming is increasing the frequency and severity of disaster events. The Vietnamese government and partner organizations across the globe, including the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and Le Quy Don Technical University (LQDTU), continue to devote enormous effort to improve Search and Rescue (SAR) missions during and post-disasters. The groups are embracing faster, better, and more efficient techniques – such as simulation technology – to improve training to make SAR activities safer, more effective, ultimately minimizing the often-tragic consequences of rescue efforts.

LQDTU leaned into MAK Technologies’ 30+ year simulation & training expertise and selected the MAK ONE suite of simulation tools as the platform for the simulation-based SAR training systems in development alongside UTS and the Vietnamese government.

For this SAR project, LQDTU is using MAK’s powerful and flexible VR-Forces, a computer-generated forces (CGF) platform to build the simulated SAR environments and fill them with the appropriate urban, maritime, and airspace activity for the training missions. VR-Engage, MAK’s multi-role virtual simulator, allows trainees to play the role of a first-person human character in the SAR simulations – for example, a vehicle driver, the pilot of an aircraft, or a sensor operator. VR-Vantage is providing the 2D and 3D out-the-window (OTW) view from the simulated entities. Lastly, the MAK Data Logger records and plays back the SAR scenarios for analysis and After-Action Review (AAR) to help trainees and instructors gauge mission success and plan future missions.

"We found that MAK ONE is a good simulation solution for coordination training – it is easy to set up a training system with flexible configuration," said Dr. Kien Trung Nguyen from LQDTU.

To learn more about how the MAK ONE suite of simulation software can help you reach your simulation & training goals, get in touch with us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. More details about this SAR project and the participating organizations can be found on the UTS website.

Interested in getting up to speed on the integral pieces of a simulation and their levels of fidelity? See The Tech-Savvy Guide to Virtual Simulation. Interested in a demonstration?

Boeing Phantom Works chooses MAK's VR-Vantage image generator for reconfigurable cockpit simulator

Boeing has purchased a MAK ONE Enterprise license that allows them to use VR-Vantage IG in a reconfigurable cockpit simulator in five Phantom Works sites worldwide.

Phantom Works, the advanced research and development unit for Boeing, has purchased a MAK ONE Enterprise license for VR-Vantage IG. MAK ONE licensing can be configured to suit an organization's size, shape, and preferred licensing model. Phantom Works is taking advantage of MAK ONE to license VR-Vantage IG for use inside reconfigurable cockpit simulators in five separate sites worldwide.

Phantom Works is the latest in a surge of customers who are taking advantage of the new improvements in VR-Vantage IG to meet their visualization needs at a lower cost than a typical high-end image generator.

VR-Vantage IG provides Phantom Works with a unique set of image generation capabilities.

MAK’s VR-Vantage IG software is used to render out-the-window scenes for first-person simulators. Its open architecture was designed from the ground up to offer the most flexible, high-performance visualization tools on the market.

VR-Vantage IG can procedurally generate terrain directly from source data including elevation, imagery, land use classification, and features. It also allows for procedural generation of textures from land use data, which provides higher effective resolution and eliminates artifacts such as baked-in shadows, cars, and trees. Textures for each land-use classification can change based on season and location. VR-Vantage IG can auto-material classify global terrains based on land-use data and feature data to enable accurate infrared sensor views.

VR-Vantage IG is capable of procedural generation of airports from X-Plane/ Digital Aeronautical Flight Information File airport descriptions, including geo-specific runways, markings, taxiways, signs, and lights. It also generates millions of trees and other vegetation directly on the GPU, based on land use rasters or aerial features.

Customers can use VR-Vantage IG to create and render high-performance buildings, roads, etc. based on OpenStreetMap data for the whole world, including cut-in roads. They can also procedurally add detail and quality to the world by adding procedural geometric noise to the elevation data, and by adding convincing bump maps based on the slope and elevation of mountains.

Built-in support for DiSTI’s GL Studio allows customers to build and prototype various cockpit instruments and tactical systems, critical for deploying reconfigurable flight simulators.

VR-Vantage IG continues to expand its capabilities, and in turn, its market share. It is built to be deployed on a variety of COTS hardware configurations from simple desktops to multi-channel displays for virtual cockpits, monitor-based training systems, and AR/VR components. VR-Vantage IG APIs make it possible to accommodate any training, simulation or mission rehearsal requirements. This approach also supports compatibility with current, existing applications.

Want to learn more about the integral pieces of a simulation and their levels of fidelity? See The Tech-Savvy Guide to Virtual Simulation. Interested in a demonstration?

Over twenty years of working together, and still going strong

Jonathan Searle, a Cranfield University Academic, responsible for the delivery of modeling and simulation to the UK MOD, at the Defence Academy of the UK, shares his own personal insights into the strong relationship between the Defence Academy’s Modelling and Simulation (M&S) program, Antycip Simulation, and VT MAK.

Note: In contributing to this article Jonathan Searle was not commenting on behalf of the MOD, the Defence Academy of the UK, or Cranfield University.

Want to learn more about the integral pieces of a simulation and their levels of fidelity? See The Tech-Savvy Guide to Virtual Simulation. Interested in a demonstration?

Elettronica and Antycip Simulation choose MAK software for Electronic Warfare Battlelab

Electronic warfare refers to the ability to use the electromagnetic spectrum to sense, protect, and communicate in theater, most notably through radar and communications. In order to gain an edge in Electronic Warfare, militaries around the world are looking to better detect, understand, and respond to the use of electronic systems.

In order to maximize electronic warfare outcomes, training systems are needed to simulate a tactical environment within which teams can learn the tactics, techniques and procedures involved.

 

Want to learn more about the integral pieces of a simulation and their levels of fidelity? See The Tech-Savvy Guide to Virtual Simulation. Interested in a demonstration?

Infiniti Chooses MAK ONE for Elite Forces Training, featuring VR-Engage

 

Bolstered by the positive experience it has had with MAK, Infiniti now plans to add Oculus Rift and motion platforms, as well as networked inertia and orientation sensors to its role player stations for an even more immersive experience.

Want to learn more about the integral pieces of a simulation and their levels of fidelity? See The Tech-Savvy Guide to Virtual Simulation. Interested in a demonstration?

BAE Systems, CNIR Saves 6 to 12 Months of Development
Time Using MAK ONE

BAE Systems, Communication, Navigation, Identification and Reconnaissance (CNIR) is using a suite of tools from MAK Technologies on various Internal Research and Development (IRAD) projects and in support of major defense programs such as Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS), Warfighter Information Network — Tactical (WIN-T), Future Combat Systems (FCS) and Airborne/Fixed/Maritime (AMF) — JTRS.

Want to learn more about the integral pieces of a simulation and their levels of fidelity? See The Tech-Savvy Guide to Virtual Simulation. Interested in a demonstration?

The Air Force Test Pilot School Upgrades to VR-Vantage

VR-Vantage helps Calspan double the value of flight tests to both train test pilots and collect data for industry partners.

 After the Flight Sciences Simulator was upgraded to use VR-Vantage, we got a chance to catch up with Jay Kemper, Senior Software Engineer at Calspan. We discussed how MAK’s VR-Vantage is used by the Air Force Test Pilot School and what they are learning using the VR-Vantage product.

 “MAK supports the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB with VR-Vantage; an image generator product. VR-Vantage has been used in the Flight Sciences Simulator to train the next generation of test pilots in everything from aerodynamics to flight control design”, said Mr. Kemper. Students have a one-year curriculum and they run courses starting every six months so there is a six-month overlap in the programs. A physics-based flight simulation model is used to learn the effects of aerodynamics. For example, they halve or double the effects of one of the flight controls so the pilot can experience the effects on the performance and maneuverability of the aircraft.

Each class has a capstone event which is a flight test. A flight test is a controlled experiment where most of the flight conditions are known (controlled) and specific characteristics are varied so they can be measured to collect data and learn about the effects of the variable. The school has moved beyond using the flight tests as just training exercises, now they are also partnering with industry leaders (e.g. Cessna and Lockheed) to perform tests as needed for research and development. It’s a win-win — the school gets to learn flight testing skills and the industry obtains valid flight test data.

“One of the most advanced uses of the simulator is to connect it to a programmable aircraft and use the simulator as a ground cockpit”, said Mr. Kemper. Calspan is studying issues with unmanned aircraft systems, e.g. the effects of delays in satellite communication relays. The Calspan test aircraft is a Learjet 25 with a four-man crew. The aircraft has a programmable flight control system, enabling the crew to get the plane into a controlled situation, then turn control over to the ground station to carry out the test. The ground control station can land the Learjet while the crew stands by with emergency override control in case anything goes wrong. “VR-Vantage uses the data from the aircraft to generate the scenes of the terrain to a very high degree of accuracy, allowing for an aircraft to be landed with no video stream”, said Mr. Kemper. The aircraft sends position, orientation, and status data to the ground station using a C-Band radio, and Calspan can get update rates up to 60 Hz. The terrain database was built by AFRL using TerraVista (TerraPage format).

Calspan is working with the UAS community to help set standards for how to test UAS, as simulation is always an integral part of flight testing. The flight test is the important part because the simulation can remove some, but not all doubt. By using the “Workload BuildUp Approach”, simulation can be used to run many iterations and flush out problems.

When asked about MAK’s support, Mr. Kemper said, “The support MAK gives is second to none, response time of its salespersons and support has been fantastic. They have gone above and beyond to facilitate their products to fit our needs, from getting licenses to product to plugin support. I’ve even asked about how to perform a certain task in a plugin, and the support responded with a full code that I could just drop in and build!”

Want to learn more? Have a look at the VR-Vantage page for more information. Are you interested in seeing a demonstration?

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center - Division of Sports Medicine Uses DI-Guy to Create Sport-Specific Scenarios for Training and Evaluation

It can take an athlete up to 18 months to return to sport after a torn ACL; even after surgical reconstruction and physical therapy, the athlete has up to a 30% chance of sustaining a second injury. Additionally, athletes have between a 50-100% chance of developing osteoarthritis within 20 years of their initial injury. Prevention of these types of injuries is key and it is especially important to know when it is safe for athletes to return to sport after such an injury.

“DI-Guy supplements our own in-house customized environments and scenarios. The technology provides full scenario customization with drag-and-drop commands that also integrate into Unity 3D.”
- Adam KIEFER, PhD Director, TEAM VR Laboratory

Want to learn more about the integral pieces of a simulation and their levels of fidelity? See The Tech-Savvy Guide to Virtual Simulation. Interested in a demonstration?

University of Alabama in Huntsville Uses MAK’s VR-Forces to Recreate the Battle of 73 Easting

MAK’s modeling and simulation software enhances students’ learning of the Persian Gulf War battle

Sopra Steria picks the MAK RTI to power the interoperability of the Shared Virtual Sky

Collaborative innovation creates a virtual solution for aviation simulation and modeling

The volume of air traffic is escalating rapidly worldwide. Policymakers in Europe are looking at ways to balance this growth with the needs of air safety, environmental concerns, security needs, and economic competitiveness.

“We are very proud to work with Sopra Steria to develop the Virtual Sky as an open and interoperable ATM simulation solution. Our teams were efficient and benefitted from MÄK’s flexibility to help Steria deploy the MÄK RTI,” said Johan Besnainou, Director France and Spain for Antycip Simulation.“ Antycip Simulation and MÄK have been involved in simulation development for many years, and our focus is, and has always been, to help our clients easily and efficiently use our COTS products.”

Aircraft Manufacturers and ATC authorities in Italy, Germany, France, and Sweden are now using Shared Virtual Sky to derive a number of business and operational benefits. Theses include: improved ability to predict the position of an aircraft’s trajectory for better traffic management, enhanced security of aircraft traffic due to better demand and capacity balancing, and more realistic and relevant training for airport staff and aircraft operators. The ability to collaborate in a virtual environment accelerates innovation by enabling simulations using new air space management techniques and provides cost-effective validation and verification of planned and potential air traffic flow.

The Federal Aviation Administration Chooses VR-TheWorld for NextGen Projects

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is using its Next Generation Air Transportation System to transform the world of flight management and operation as we know it.

Want to learn more about the integral pieces of a simulation and their levels of fidelity? See The Tech-Savvy Guide to Virtual Simulation. Interested in a demonstration?

Interoperability COTS tools by MAK at the Heart of MLM’s New Approach to Management Systems

For a recent Air and Land Command & Control Integrated Systems project, the team at MLM developed a new management approach that draws on the company’s expertise and existing customer infrastructure, as well as on currently available technology and advanced Information Technology (IT) tools.

Want to learn more about the integral pieces of a simulation and their levels of fidelity? See The Tech-Savvy Guide to Virtual Simulation. Interested in a demonstration?

Wargaming System to Stimulate C4I System – Raytheon IDS

What’s at stake

Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems selected MAK to develop the simulation system to drive the wargaming & training component of their Command View C4I system that was subsequently delivered to a Raytheon customer.

The C4I system is used for national defense and simulated Command Post Exercises at the division, brigade, and battalion levels, providing opportunities for experimentation, doctrine development, and training.

How MAK Helped

MAK used VR-Forces' flexible architecture to develop and deliver a MAK Command and Staff Training System (MAK CST) to stimulate Raytheon’s C4I system. MAK CST acts as the synthetic environment for operational level training exercises — it feeds the C4I system with track data and reports from simulated forces.

Commanders and their staff lay down the Order of Battle and participate in the exercise using the same C4I system they would use in a real-world battle, while members of their organization direct the simulated forces by interacting with MAK CST in the simulation cell.

This two-year project resulted in MAK delivering a fully compliant system, on time, and within budget. Deliveries included documentation, training, comprehensive test procedures, and on-site integration support. The newly developed software has been integrated into the COTS VR-Forces product for ease of maintenance and upgrade. The system includes the VR-TheWorld Streaming Terrain Server.

Raydon demonstrates company-level constructive training for the US Army Stryker community using MÄK products

Naval C3 System Upgrade with VR-Forces

What's At Stake?

When Terma was chosen to upgrade Command, Control, and Communication (C3) systems on the Royal Danish Navy’s Flyvefisken class ships, they started looking for commercial off-the-shelf tools to save development time. They needed products that had the same flexibility they were building into their C-Flex systems.

The C3 systems technology upgrade is based on the new Terma C-Flex platform and incorporates all operational and technical experience from many years of operations of the current C3 systems onboard twenty-one vessels of the Royal Danish Navy. The C-Flex software is a true component-based architecture. The main advantages are flexibility in configuration, reduced test requirements, open to third-party software, and reduced maintenance costs.

How MAK Helped

“We chose MAK products because of their knowledge and experience with HLA,” explained Thorsten N. Hansen project manager. “For scenario generation, we chose their COTS product VR-Forces. VR-Forces is flexible and can easily accommodate special requirements. MAK seems to be serious about making its software highly customizable. We saved a lot of development hours using VR-Forces instead of making our own proprietary scenario generator.”

Bringing Reliable Interoperability to Large Simulations with MAK ONE

How MAK connected confederates to make a large simulation possible.

An engineer at a system integrator is asked to participate in Operation Blended Warrior (OBW) at I/ITSEC 2015. This complex simulation event involves 31 different organizations, with each assuming a role and connecting their simulator to the scenario. The exercise network requires the DIS 6 protocol, but the engineer’s simulators run HLA 1.3. OBW requires that all participants use a gateway for network security reasons.
Schedules are tight and there is limited time to do testing. Where can the engineer turn for an inexpensive out-of-the-box protocol solution that meets all the simulation requirements and just works?

What is OBW?

Operation Blended Warrior was an I/ITSEC special event organized by the National Training and Simulation Association (NTSA) and the US NAVY to explore the potential for live, virtual, and constructive capabilities in the defense and security sectors. 

31 organizations from government and industry united to design a simulation exercise that would run on the show floor at I/ITSEC. It would demonstrate how individual capabilities existing within the community could be linked together to minimize costs and maximize the benefits of the live, virtual, and constructive approach to training and education.

The Capabilities

Each company was asked what capabilities they could contribute, and the response was impressive. (MAK’s contributions are noted in each category):

• Man-in-the-loop simulators, a.k.a. 1st person players
• Computer Generated Forces, a.k.a. SAF or Game Engines (VR-Forces)
• Infrastructure: Radio comms, video conferencing, cloud computing
• Networking technology (VR-Exchange)
• Integration support tools (MAK Data Logger)
• Tactical Display (VR-Vantage )
• Cyber attack models
• Medical simulations

The Storyline

To integrate these simulation capabilities into a common exercise, the participants worked together to develop a fictional storyline to make sense of all these assets operating at the same time. They envisioned a country called Balboa, described as an ally of the United States, surrounded by hostile neighbors. Balboa would be rocked by a natural disaster, requiring both humanitarian assistance and homeland security. On day one of the simulation, the damage to the Balboan infrastructure is immense — the civilian population needs supplies, evacuation, and medical treatment. Hostile neighbors take advantage of the chaos and take over a power facility and commandeer commercial ships. In response, the allies airlift supplies to refugees, protect air corridors, provide close air support for vulnerable ground troops, mitigate a pirate attack, and intercept UAVs, all the while amphibious Marine units maneuver onto the shore to retake the powerplant.

The Challenge

It is difficult to connect this many different simulators and maintain a viable exercise network. A large number of players generating diverse traffic types on the network creates complexity, requiring a certain set of rules to govern the event. Because of a tight integration schedule and few testing opportunities, gateways were used not only as protocol translators but as a way of isolating a simulation from network traffic that might be harmful or reduce performance. A particular set of mandatory network configuration settings introduced a great deal of network complexity into the simulation environment and there was little time to make it all work smoothly.

The Solution

In addition to MAK, 10 other participants chose MAK’s VR-Exchange software to provide interoperability. With its combination of low cost, out-of-the-box usability, and reliability, it was a very popular solution. Participating organizations learned the value of COTS tools at different times during the lead-up to the event at I/ITSEC. Some chose to partner with MAK early on, and the process was very smooth for them. Others ran into difficulty during integration testing and switched to MAK’s solution shortly before the show. One even made it to the show floor before they realized that they may not be able to play without MAK’s assistance. When showtime arrived, VR-Exchange translated protocols between participants flawlessly, allowing the simulation to commence without any glitches or translation errors that could compromise its integrity and sense of realism. All of the vignettes in which MAK participated ran smoothly and Operation Blended Warrior was a success.

“The VR-Exchange product was great...I liked how stable the product was. Once set up, we left VR-Exchange running throughout the entire show. The product ran for the entire show without issue.”

“I’d like to congratulate [MAK] on such a great showing at OBW – a huge number of participants relied on MAK products for their success.”

—Two engineers that used VR-Exchange at OBW

To learn more about how we can help you create your ultra-realistic mixed-reality training environment, reach out today at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.!

Air Support Operations Center (ASOC) Total Mission Training

What's At Stake?

The ASOC (Air Support Operations Center) Battlefield Simulation fills a crucial gap in USAF and United Kingdom Close Air Support (CAS) and airspace manager training. The system provides six squadrons with the capability to conduct total-mission training events whenever the personnel and time are available.

How MAK Helped

When the 111th ASOS returned from their first deployment to Afghanistan they realized the training available prior to deployment was inadequate. They sought an organic training capability focused on the ASOC mission that was low cost, simple to use, adaptable, and available now. With the assistance of MAK, they developed a complete training system based on MAK’s QuickStrike HLA-based simulation. Through more than two years of spiral development, incorporating lessons learned, the system has matured, and can now realistically replicate the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) in Kabul, Afghanistan, the TOC supporting the mission in Iraq, or can expand to support a major conflict scenario. The training system provides a collaborative workspace for the training audience and exercise control group via integrated software and workstations that can easily adapt to new mission requirements and TOC configurations. The system continues to mature. Based on inputs from the warfighter, new capabilities have been incorporated to add realism and simplify the scenario development process. The QuickStrike simulation can now import TBMCS Air Tasking Order air mission data and can provide air and ground tracks to a common operating picture; presented through either TACP CASS or JADOCS.

Air Defense Operations Using MAK ONE for Decision-Making Training

What's At Stake?

Rheinmetall Canada delivered an Air Defense Operations Simulation (ADOS) for the Dutch Army to be used for decision-making training of the staff of the air defense units responsible for Command and Control (C2). The Dutch Army is fielding new Ground Based Air Defense Systems (GBADS) from Rheinmetall and integrating these with Short Range Air Defense (SHORAD) systems, requiring new training systems for tactical decision-making as opposed to purely operation training. The ADOS system is also being used as an aid in the development of air defense Doctrine, Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (DTTP).

How MAK Helped

The training system comprises a simulation network connected to a copy of the operational C2 system.
VR-Forces, MAK’s simulation solution, provides scenario generation and modeling of ground and air threats and blue force including the mobile GBADS. VR-Vantage is used as the primary interface for the role players which include the Stinger Weapon Platform platoons, the Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS) fire units, and opposing forces. 

All positions are connected via the High Level Architecture (HLA) through the MAK High Performance RTI. Students, making up the Staff platoon, are at copies of the operational C2 system. The MAK Data Logger supports After Action Review.

“MAK’s VR-Forces and VR-Vantage combination of providing out-of-the-box capabilities with a powerful API for easy customization made them the ideal choice as the simulation and visualization component of the ADOS System. The technical capabilities of MAK’s products coupled with their excellent reputation for unsurpassed customer support made the decision to team with MAK an easy one,” said Ledin Charles, ADOS Program Manager, Rheinmetall Canada.

NASA Project Wins, Grows with the MAK RTI

As aviation technology has improved, commercial air traffic has increased significantly, requiring better airspace management techniques. In an attempt to develop better air capacity, safety, and flexibility, NASA’s Air Traffic Operations Laboratory (ATOL) used a massive simulation environment called Air and Traffic Operations Simulation (ATOS) to explore better techniques. As the project’s success lead to its growth, NASA required a licensing option that would be easily scalable in a simulation that is ever-expanding.

NASA originally needed a tool that could effectively communicate and maintain all the entities involved in its complex, multi-laboratory, simulation that includes 400+ workstation-based high-fidelity aircraft simulators networked together. The simulation would eventually demand a creative, flexible solution so that licensing restrictions would not hinder its development.

The MAK Advantage:

MAK offers commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technology to facilitate Air Traffic Management simulations, backed by a company with an “engineer down the hall” philosophy to help organizations creatively solve their implementation issues. The MAK RTI has been used by ATOL for over a decade to enable their High Level Architecture (HLA) federations to rapidly and efficiently communicate the positioning and actions of entities in the ATOS simulation. It was also used to communicate with external laboratories at NASA LaRC, NASA Ames Research Center, FAA and other compliant facilities. As the simulation’s success led to the growth in the number of federates and labs involved in the simulation, NASA’s needs changed. The ATOL required a way to use unlimited instances of the MAK RTI, and needed to do it in a way that would be cost-efficient. MAK’s “engineer own the hall” philosophy played a big role in ensuring success, as we worked out a custom licensing model to meet their needs and ensure that MAK would continue to play a role in the success of the ATOL.

We were able to reach Glover Barker of NASA Langley Research Center for comment: “At NASA Langley Research Center, we have used the MAK RTI libraries since 2005. Our Airspace and Traffic Operations Simulation (ATOS) uses High Level Architecture (HLA), so we initially tried an open-source HLA solution. But the quality and reliability were not adequate, so we purchased RTI from MAK. MAK's RTI implementation conforms well to HLA standards, so we could easily substitute MAK RTI for the open-source solution. We have been satisfied customers ever since.”

“MAK has steadily improved their product in every new release. MAK's technical support always responds quickly and helpfully when we have questions or problems. When needed, they have sent staff to our site to inspect our environment and made recommendations to change our configuration. In the cases when we experienced a bug because of the unique way we used their software, MAK has diligently provided fixes for our problems. When we needed a new licensing scheme to fit our usage model, MAK delivered.”

Want to learn more? Have a look at the MAK RTI page for more information. Interested in seeing a demonstration?

DSTO's Air Defense Battle Management with MAK ONE

What's At Stake?

The Air Defence Ground Environment Simulator (ADGESIM) was developed by the Defence, Science and Technology Organization (DSTO) to evolve Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) training systems and prepare personnel for network-centric operations. ADGESIM, a network-centric aerospace battle management application, is a major component of the RAAF strategy to adopt distributed simulation technology.

How MAK Helped

ADGESIM is comprised of three applications developed by DSTO and YTEK (DSTO engineering contractor) in C++ and closely integrated with VR-Forces and VR-Link. The ADGESIM Pilot Interface is used to create and fly simulated aircraft entities. All high-resolution entity modeling is done in the background by VR-Forces and ADGESIM entities have been proven compatible with both Australian and US Navy distributed simulation environments. The RAAF routinely runs scenarios with eight Pilot Interface workstations simultaneously without taxing the PC-based ADGESIM system.

Jon Blacklock, Head, Air Projects Analysis, Air Operations Research Branch of DSTO, explained that “his research program had identified VR-Forces and VR-Link as the only products with a sufficiently open architecture and useable programming interface to support rapid prototyping and development. Using a mixture of MAK’s COTS tools and custom-built “thin client” applications, we were able to create ADGESIM in less than six months, for around half the original budget.”

“VR-Forces’ flexibility secured its place in our development,” said Blacklock. “The ease of customization and the API were among the biggest reasons we chose it. At the start, it lacked a few features on our wish list, but MAK’s outstanding tech support helped us fill in the gaps. During the six-month development, MAK redeveloped its applications and added features in parallel with our development. It is a testament to MAK’s professional approach that when we got the release version of VR Forces, we needed just two weeks prior to installation in the first Regional Operations center. We plugged in our applications and everything just worked.”

Light Armored Vehicle Simulator Demonstration

Arriving on the floor to setup for a trade show, Ivan finds himself in a stressful situation: Only 4 hours for setting up a demo of a collaborative Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) simulator. The new partner, ADVENTUREtech, just introduced a display system that needs to become part of the simulation.

The demo includes 4 different user stations: 

• LAV Driver in an ergonomic seat inside a 3-channel CAVE display 
• Gunner using a game controller with a single monitor 
• Commander using the Oculus VR headgear
• Observers on a monitor to display what the Commander sees

"MAK's product suite transformed a booth with a display system into a fully-functional, team-oriented training demonstration."

Scroll down to watch animation based on the Tech-Savvy Guide to Virtual Simulation

The MAK Advantage:

MAK used its Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) simulator built on VR-Forces and VR-Vantage to set up this system.

VR-Vantage is used to provide trainees with high-detail role-specific visual scenes. VR-Vantage's multi-channel distributed rendering architecture makes it easy to configure a continuous scene across a CAVE display. The CAVE is a form of display that displays scenes onto three to six sides of a cube. CAVEs provide a wide viewing angle that makes an immersive environment for the Driver without the expense of edge-blended dome displays. This display is a good match with the ergonomically positioned driver controls that make driving natural and leave the operator's attention on the mission.

The Gunner's view is presented on a single monitor and operated with a commercial game controller. The gunner IG supports daylight visual and night vision scenes, toggled by a switch on the game controller. This lower fidelity interface is appropriate if the gunner’s tasks focus on targeting decisions and communicating with the commander but could be implemented with higher fidelity interfaces if shooting skills were important. 

The Commander is using the Oculus VR headgear to present a fully immersive display that is reactive to his head position and movements. A video monitor is used to show observers what the Commander is seeing.

The VR-Forces simulation engine is hosting the light armored vehicle ownship simulation. It uses CM Lab’s Vortex physics engine to model the vehicle and gun dynamics. Because it’s based on VR-Forces simulation framework, it can coordinate user inputs from each of the operators, provide terrain access to the Vortex models, and handle the weapons effects, sensors, and damage models for the vehicle. 

The terrain used is Simthetiq’s SUROBI VTE, a terrain database hand built from source data from the Surobi valley in Afghanistan. This database provides high-performing models with close-up detail of a typical Afghan village. 

The virtual simulator is connected through the network, using VR-Link, to two other simulations. VR-Forces CGF, which simulates neutral, friendly, and opposing force entities. VR-Forces enables instructors to pre-plan training scenarios where non-player AI move and interact based on mission plans, reactive tasks, and triggers based on the actions of other entities in the simulation. Instructors and role players can interact at several levels: they can give squad leaders tasks and have the members of the squad follow those instructions, they can command individual entities, or take first-person control of vehicles and human characters. 

DI-Guy Scenario can add additional human characters to the simulation that model the patterns of life in the village and react to the actions of the LAV. 

VR-Forces, VR-Vantage, and DI-Guy Lifeform Server include MAK’s networking technology. VR-Link’s protocol-independent API allows all three applications to communicate through industry standard High Level Architecture (HLA) and the Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) protocols, including HLA 1.3, HLA 1516, HLA Evolved, DIS, and DIS 7. The MAK Data Logger records and plays back all the network simulation traffic for after-action review and analysis. The MAK RTI (runtime infrastructure) is available when connecting to HLA federations using any of these SISO standard protocols: HLA 1.3, HLA 1516, and HLA Evolved.

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Dutch Army Command and Staff Trainer using MAK ONE

What's At Stake?

In this use case, the trainees are military commanders who interact with the real C4I interface, which is configured to be in a training mode. Role players contribute to the simulation scenarios. And white-cell operators manage the exercise making sure the scenarios stay on track.

How MAK Helped

Working as a subcontractor to Elbit Systems, MAK delivered a modified version of VR-Forces that was used as the simulation engine for a Command and Staff Trainer for the Dutch Army. VR-Forces is used for scenario authoring, simulation execution, and as a role-player station for white-cell operators and instructors.

VR-Forces-simulated entities, and other objects, are displayed on the C4I system's map. Elbit, the developers of the C4I system, wrote a Gateway application using VR-Link and the VR-Forces Remote Control API that translates between the HLA protocols spoken by VR-Forces, and the C4I protocols used by the operational C4I system.

The Dutch system employs several VR-Forces simulation engines to share the load of simulating several thousand objects.

This project focuses on the tactical level more than the operation level.  For example, it had requirements for 3D views (UAVs camera displays and "pop the hatch" out-the-window views for operators playing the role of company commanders), thus, much of the actual simulation is at the entity level rather than the more constructive true aggregate level.

Norwegian Defence Research Establishment uses VR-Forces for CST Experimentation

What's At Stake?

The Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) has established a demonstrator for experimentation with command and control information system (C2IS) technology. The demonstrator is used for studying middleware, different communication media, legacy information systems, and user interface equipment employed in C2ISs.

How MAK Helped

MAK’s VR-Forces, computer generated forces simulation toolkit is a component of the demonstrator serving as the general framework for rapid development of synthetic environments. It is used for describing the scenario and representing the behavior of most of the entities in the environment. The demonstrator’s flexible and extendable HLA-based synthetic environment supports VR-Forces participation as a federate in the HLA federation, allowing it to exchange data with entities and systems represented in external simulation models.

USAF Networking Simulation to C2 Systems with MAK ONE

What's At Stake?

Large investments have been made in developing simulation systems that model and simulate various aspects of the military environment. Networking these together enables building systems-of-systems that model larger and more complete operational scenarios. Connecting these to operational C2, C3, C4I, and Mission Command systems allows commanders and their staff to have experiential learning opportunities that otherwise could not be achieved outside of actual conflict.  

How MAK Helped

MAK’s VR-Link interoperability toolkit is the de facto industry standard for networking simulations. MAK’s implementation of the HLA run time infrastructure (RTI) has been certified for HLA 1.3 and HLA 1516, and is currently being certified for HLA 1516:2010. The MAK RTI has been used in many federations, some with over a thousand federates and tens of thousands of simulated entities. MAK’s universal translator, VR-Exchange, has been sold as a COTS product since 2005 and was first developed for and used on the US Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC) Distributed Test Event 2005 (DTE5) linking live, virtual and constructive simulations for the first time. Since then it has been used on many programs and at many sites to link together live (TENA), virtual (HLA), and constructive (DIS) simulations.

MAK has interfaced Battle Command to operational Command and Control Systems including C2PC, Cursor on Target, and JADOCS for the USMC and USAF. Previously we developed an interface for FBCB2.

The US Air Force selected MAK interoperability products for use on the Air Force Modeling and Simulation Training Toolkit (AFMSTT) program and we have successfully completed delivery. The MAK tools include the new MAK WebLVC Server, VR-Exchange, VR-Link and MAK Data Logger. Based on the Air Force's Air Warfare Simulation (AWSIM) model, the AFMSTT system enables training of senior commanders and staff for joint air warfare and operations. MAK's tools are being used to help migrate the AFMSTT system to a service-oriented architecture based on High Level Architecture (HLA) interoperability and web technologies.

Tactical Operations Training – USMC MCTOG

What's At Stake?

The U.S. Marine Corps Tactical Operations Group (MCTOG) uses advanced human simulation, ECO Sim to model blue forces, oppositional forces, and civilian pattern-of-life to train captains two weeks prior to deployment in Afghanistan. ECO Sim trains IED defeat missions simulating sophisticated human networks of financiers, bomb makers, safe houses, leaders, and emplacers. These IED networks operate within a larger backdrop of ambient civilian behavior: farmers in fields, children attending school, families going to marketplaces and religious services. The Marine captain commands searches, patrols, and detentions, all while monitoring the battlefield using ISR data provided by UAS and stationary cameras. In addition, ECO Sim has a sophisticated report capability, mimicking the way Marines will actually convey and receive information in the battlefield.

The Battlefield is Evolving

The Increased Threat of Cyber Attack Affects Strategic Decision Making

As technologies continue to advance and become more deeply ingrained in modern life, threats of a crippling cyber attack or electronic warfare (EW) become increasingly probable. In an attempt to mitigate these risks, the Colombian national government (represented by the Ministry of Information Technology), the Higher War School in Colombia, and ITM Consulting Company joined forces to explore the role simulation plays in understanding, preparing for, and combating cyber attacks.