MetaVR to provide more Reaper training software

The US Army Joint Technology Center and Systems Integration Lab (JSIL) has purchased an additional 86 MetaVR Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG) licenses to provide visuals for the continued roll out of US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper UAV simulators.

The VRSG software is used in USAF’s MALET-JSIL Aircrew Trainer (MJAT), a plug-and-play training capability that converts an operational MQ-9 ground control station (GCS) into a training simulator.

Within the MJAT, VRSG is part of the Air Force Synthetic Environment for Reconnaissance and Surveillance software that simulates the tactical vehicle control software to emulate GCS functions.

These include air vehicle control, payload control, weapons control, communications, video data transmission and mission planning. 

VRSG simulates the MQ-9’s camera payload by streaming real-time HD-quality H.264 video with KLV metadata.

The embedded MJAT provides the US Air Force a flexible and cost-effective method to ‘train as it fights’, the company said, and it also provides operators the ability to conduct simulation training as part of their qualification and continuation training.

VRSG shares a common baseline with Battlespace Simulations’ Modern Air Combat Environment, which is used by all MJAT simulators for scenario creation and fully/semi-automated enemy force generation. 

This coupling enhances interoperability and correlation between MJAT and fielded VRSG-MACE-based joint terminal attack controller simulators. 

‘MJAT allows the US Air Force to maximise the use of its MQ-9 Reaper GCS at all times, to direct existing resource into deployed operations or training capacity in line with shifting demand,’ Garth Smith, president of MetaVR, said. 

‘The MQ-9 Reaper joins the growing list of US military UAV/RPA training platforms we support, including the Gray Eagle, Shadow, and Aerosonde.’

These new licenses will extend the roll-out of the MJAT simulator across US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper GCS sites, and to date, 56 MJATs have been fielded by USAF.