Australian Army to train personnel on Rockwell Collins Joint Fires Observer/Joint Terminal Attack Controller simulator

GEELONG, Australia, 24 Feb. 2015. Australian Army officials needed a training and simulation solution capable of meeting all the service’s training requirements now and into the foreseeable future. They found their system at Rockwell Collins, with headquarters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Rockwell Collins will provide the Australian Army with the latest-generation Joint Fires Observer (JFO)/Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) simulator, part of the RealFires family of JFO and JTAC simulators. The JTAC simulator will be installed at the School of Artillery and integrated with the Rockwell Collins FireStorm Integrated Targeting System.

“This award demonstrates that Rockwell Collins is an end-to-end simulation and training provider who can meet the unique requirements of training JFOs and JTACs,” says Nicholas Gibbs, managing director of Rockwell Collins Australia. “We look forward to working with the Australian Army to provide this vital training capability to their soldiers.”

The Rockwell Collins FireStorm system forms the core of the Land 17 Phase 1B Digital Terminal Control System (DTCS). The RealFires system is a fully scalable solution that can be delivered as a range of training solutions, from desktop to full 360-degree immersive domes.

The JFO/JTAC simulator delivered to the School of Artillery includes training room facilities, a 270-degree dome, high fidelity graphics and full simulation of FireStorm sensors.

Rockwell Collins develops and deploys communication and aviation electronic solutions for both commercial and government applications. The company’s expertise in flight deck avionics, cabin electronics, mission communications, simulation and training, and information management is delivered by a global workforce, and a service and support network that crosses more than 150 countries, officials say.

“Close Air Support is a complex task that requires the JTAC to be heads up and eyes out for survivability,” says Tommy Dodson, vice president and general manager, Surface Solutions, for Rockwell Collins. “JTAC-Mobile minimizes heads down time by making tasks executable within a ‘three click’ user interface.”