Thales To Modernize German Small Arms, Handheld Anti-Tank Weapons Simulator Devices

Thales has received an order for the modernisation of all small arms/handheld antitank weapons shooting simulator training devices (AGSHP) in use with the German Armed Forces.

The order from the Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Utilisation of the Federal Armed Forces (BAAINBw) is approximately five million euro and to be implemented by the end of 2017, the company said in a statement Wednesday.

The contract covers the software regeneration of a total of 185 shooting simulators of the type AGSHP which will be equipped with a dual boot system. This system permits the use of existing simulator training scenarios as well as the new functionalities of the modern Sagittarius Evolution software. In addition, the modernisation provides the technical basis for the networking of the stationary AGSHP simulation systems with each other or with the mobile systems to be newly procured in a further step.

Using a component-based architecture, the software update to Sagittarius Evolution enables flexible dimensioning for the future requirements of the user, a common platform for different training modules and forms the basis for the future viability of the system.

The integrated artificial intelligence of the computer-controlled own, neutral and enemy forces increases the training and awareness effect: Dependent on the user's own behaviour, changed mission situations arise, realistically presented environmental conditions (e.g. terrain, time of day, wind direction) affect the training progress and require an adjustment of the user behaviour, thus significantly increasing the depth of realism of the training.