Advance simulators to help train IAF pilots

Young pilots of the Indian Air Force will now hone their flying skills on advance simulators which will train them in dealing with all possible operational requirements including stressful conditions.

"We look forward to conserving flying by offsetting a certain amount of effort with simulation on the ground...Since simulator training is very stressful, it will add to the training environment without any threat to the life of pilot," IAF's Vice Chief Air Marshal KK Nohwar said here today.

Nohwar was addressing a national seminar on Leveraging Simulation Technologies to Enhance Combat Potential.

The present requirement of intensive training at affordable cost can be effectively addressed by focusing on  simulator-based training," he said.

On the simulators used by the IAF, he said, "We have an extremely versatile simulator for young Air Traffic Control (ATC) flight cadets with 200 degree visibility. We also have link simulators which will reduce the cost of flying training, deployment and fuel bills."

On use of war gaming simulators to train fighter pilots, he said, "War gaming simulators are useful tools for carrying out analysis of deployed forces in given set of conditions. These provide a reasonable assessment for a particular concept of operation followed by the commander."

Nohwar said IAF's vision for future is to develop a scenario where platforms and weapon system for all services are integrated and simulators are networked so that individual as well as ground training are conducted on a common platform with a common doctrine.