Vifotec Prize 2020: GTAM Control Station's combat crew training system

The upgraded S125-2TM ground to air missile complex (GTAM) has elevated Vietnam's air defense force to meet the requirements of modern warfare. Currently, this weapon has become the main standing force of the Air Defense Air Force Command (ADAFC) that and equipped with many fire battalions.

Therefore, it is urgent need to equip the officers and soldiers to master weapons control and manipulations skill right from the training courses at academies, schools and units, ensuring combat readiness for air defense units in our army. 

Research, design and manufacturing products of the project

To meet the urgent need for semi-natural training device in air defense units and academies, specialized training schools on the ADM complex S125-2 TM; at the same time, supplementing the missing device for the implemented national project, the team of authors led by Major, MSc. Chu Van Hiep; Lieutenant Colonel, Dr. Pham Duc Thoa - Research officer, Missile Institute/Military Institute of Science and Technology, Ministry of Defense and his associates selected the project: “Research, design, and manufacture a cabin combat crew training simulator UNK of the air defense missile control station S125-2TM". From studying the functions, tasks and technical - tactical characteristics required of the training simulator (on the basis of the technical characteristics of the real weapon complex and the actual requirements of the user units - Approved by the Commander of the Air Defense Air Force Command); Providing design options, technical solutions and technologies to meet domestic demand. Since then, the design and manufacture of cabin combat crew training simulator UNK of the control station S125-2TM ADM are suitable to the practice of Vietnam.

The authors have successfully researched, designed and manufactured the cabin combat crew training simulator UNK-2TM-HL to help air defense students and officers and soldiers learn and train visually like practicing on a real device. The product of the contested works has been evaluated and accepted by the Scientific Council at the Ministry of Defense (established under Decision No. 734/QD-BQP dated March 6, 2020) with good results (Minutes of the Council Meeting No. 1160/BB-KHQS dated June 1, 2020). 

The product of the research work has simulated all the shortened and extended functional tests with manipulation, calculation, and display. On-site combat training mode, building the entire operation of the UNK-2TM control station from creating target movements, to target signals, missiles, interference received from antennas. Simulating the process of training crews to catch, track, destroy targets, evaluate tracking errors, evaluate shooting results and check surveyor crews.... fully meet the technical features of the equivalent product offered to us.

Expert reviewers the product

The product of the project has been fully operated by the surveyor crew of the air defense battalion equipped with the ADM S125-2TM complex (d151/e250/f361/ADAFC); Being evaluated by leading experts of: Department of Engineering/ADAFC, Faculty of Missile/ Air Defense Air Force Academy, Department of Missile/Military Technical Academy evaluated with good results; Used to teach intensive thematic courses for research staff of the Military Institute of Science and Technology, necessary procedures are underway to hand over to Air Defense Air Force Academy and mass-produce device for fire battalions equipped with the S125-2TM ADM Complex.

For the first time successfully designing and manufacturing training simulator for the S125-2TM air defense missile complex: When there was no device to train surveyor crews for this weapon complex in the country; And there is no transfer of technique and technology to make this training simulator, due to its secrecy and high cost. The completion of training device for the weapon complex that plays the role of the main duty force of the Air Defense Air Force Command has high scientific and practical significance.

The result of the work is a product applied for teaching and training, affirming the ability to master the design and manufacturing technology in the country, the YHK-2TM-HL cabin crew training simulator is suitable for conditions and capabilities available in the country, but still ensures combat readiness training functions like on real weapons.

The product has been applied in teaching intensive thematic courses for researchers of the Military Academy of Science and Technology and participating in master and bachelor training. 

The product is undergoing procedures to submit to the Minister of Defense for handover to the Air Defense - Air Force Academy/ Air Defense Air Force Command to serve training activities; will be cloned upon a decision of the Minister of Defense to put down the battalions equipped with this weapon complex. 

The project products are expected to reduce the cost of hundreds of million dong for each practice of training the combat crew. In fact, the training plan on realistic weapons is challenging for as it is rather costly and significantly energy consuming in the combatting standby status of the Air Defense Air Force Command.

To import an UNK-2TM cabin crew training simulator may cost everal million USD while domestically-made device is much more economical and able to fully meet the functional requirements, especially when having to import a lot of training device to equip schools, academies and combat units.

The design and manufacturing process follows strict processes; always adhere to the technical requirements and acceptance conditions of the direct user unit, Air Defense Air Force Command, as the basis for quality control and device acceptance after manufacturing.

The products of the project were tested and operated by an air defense units equipped with the S125-2TM ADM complex (d151/e250/f361) according to the set of technical specifications approved by the Commander of the Air Defense Air Force Command, the supervision of leading experts of the units in the Army, which are: Department of Engineering/ADAFC, Faculty of Missile/ Air Defense Air Force Academy, Department of Missile/Military Technical Academy, Division of Missile/ Air Defense - Air Force Technology Institute.

The project has built a complete and detailed set of documents on design, manufacturing technology and a set of programming software for the device. It is a highly demanded training device of many air defense units equipped with the S125-2TM weapon complex and academies and schools in the Air Defense Air Force Command.

Operating device for training surveyor crew

The project brings about mastery of technical features, characteristics and fighting methods of the new weapon complex and plays a key role in the modern warfare of our army, helping the army to grasp methods and procedures for training combat crews, ensuring combat readiness in air defense units.

The project meets the important goals of putting device in training, enable officers, soldiers and trainee students of air defense to learn intuitively as if they were operating on real device. In addition, this scientific project has well exploited the internal resources of the research staff and technical staff of the plants in the army.

Author: Reporter