I/ITSEC 2022: HII enhances human-machine teaming training for US Army

Huntington galls Industries (HII) showcased its crewed-uncrewed teaming (MUM-T) training solution at I/ITSEC 2022 in Orlando, Florida between 28 November and December 1.

At the tradeshow, the company demonstrated how it connected a General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAS simulation device with an AH-64 Apache simulator for the US Army's Redstone Arsenal (RSA) post.

The system consists of various multipurpose displays and sensor systems for targeting.

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‘Our application shows a Military Specifications situational awareness icon and a UAS flying around in a pattern,’ HII modernisation lab and technical lead Stephen J Spicer told Shephard.

Pilots can turn the simulated UAS’s laser targeting on, while users can inject various targets from HII’s list of target entities.

The connection between UAS and the Apache can be established on three different levels, the representative said. Level two, which is available for the Apache D model, only allows the helicopter to receive video from the UAS.

However, this task is not as simple as dialling in a radio, Spicer said.

‘It requires practice repetition from the crew member to get to those devices to do that. Our system allows crew members to practice those wartime missions and functions inside of a training environment,’ he added.

Level three involves the pilot taking control of the UAS while airborne.

HII connected a General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAS simulation device with an AH-64 Apache simulator. (Photo: US DoD)

‘Level four also allows them [the pilots] to then take control of the UAV and the sensor as well. And that includes turning the laser on from the UAV. That's a great feature as an attack platform. And that is a real utility here,’ another company delegate explained.

Levels three and four are only available for the latest Apache E models.

HII said that the US Army has already tested the system with a real Apache helicopter.

‘But this will work with not just army aircraft, it'll work with ground vehicles or with anything that has the right antenna to receive information,’ Spicer said.

The whole MUM-T training system that HII showed in Orlando goes into one pelican case. Depending on the customer, it can be scaled up with additional capabilities.

The US Army, however, requested an affordable and deployable solution, the HII representatives said.