The FLAMES Automated Simulation Trainer (FAST™) is a turn-key, commercially-available simulation developed by Ternion specifically to serve as the central constructive simulation in a live-virtual-constructive (LVC) training exercise. FAST also provides a powerful yet extremely friendly graphical user interface for automatically creating scenarios from standard military data sources and for controlling simulated entities during scenario execution.

Flexible, versatile, and configurable, FAST can be embedded in operational command and control systems to provide deployable, individual unit training, and it can also support large, multi-unit distributed, interactive training exercises.

Primary Features

• Physics-based simulation of air, ground, and surface sea entities, including vehicles, sensors, communication systems and networks, weapon systems, munitions, and human behavior
• Ability to simulate thousands of entities in “real-time” on a single computer
• Support for all of the terrain modeling capabilities of FLAMES
• Automated scenario creation by importing Air Tasking Orders (ATO) and Airspace Control Orders (ACO) in US Message Text Format (USMTF)
• Export of scenario data (ATO/ACO) in USMTF format
• Multi-user (simultaneous) scenario editing for collaborative scenario development
• Support for a single “Director” station and any number of “Controller” stations, each of which can visualize an ongoing scenario in 2D, dynamically control entities, and create new entities
• Ability to interact with other simulations and virtual simulators using the Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) protocol and the High Level Architecture (HLA)
• Support for Checkpoint/Restart to recover from system failure or “rewind” a scenario without losing user-initiated events
• 3D visualization of a scenario (in real-time or playback) using FLASH

Optional Plugins

Optional plugins are available for FAST that include the features listed below. These plugins require an export license to be delivered internationally.

FAST includes the following advanced features:

• Bi-directional communication with tactical systems using the JREAP C (MIL-STD 3011-C) protocol
• Support for (MIL-STD-6016) J-series tactical messages, including J2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 2.6, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 6.0, 7.0 (partial), 7.2, 7.3, 7.5, 9.0, 10.5, 12.0, 12.1, 12.4, 12.5, 13.2, 13.3, 13.5, 14.0, 15.0, 28.2
• Support for (MIL-STD-6017) Variable Message Format (VMF) messages, including K01.1, K01.2, K02.1, K02.4, K02.15, K02.16, K02.25, K02.27, K02.28, K02.39, K03.4, K03.6, K03.7, K04.13, K05.1, and K07.1
• Support for AN/TPS-59 and AN/TPS-80 radar simulation including transmission of radar plot and beacon data to a tactical system, and radar emission control initiated from a tactical system

FAST the FLAMES Engine

FAST is an individual FLAMES-based application that is designed specifically to meet the demanding requirements of live-virtual-constructive (LVC) training exercises. As such, FAST includes features and capabilities that go beyond those provided by the FLAMES Engine. However, a license to FAST includes a license to each of the standard FLAMES Engine applications, FORGE, FIRE, and FLASH, as well as several optional FLAMES products (Enhanced Analysis, DIS, HLA, and Checkpoint/Restart).

The following is a brief description of how FAST uses and extends the capabilities of the FLAMES Engine.

Scenario Creation & Editing

FORGE is required for editing the low-level scenario parameter database that is used in FAST scenarios. This database is scenario independent, which means the same underlying data comprises the bulk of FAST scenarios. A scenario parameter database is included with FAST and rarely needs to be edited. However, all parameters in the database are fully editable using FORGE.

FAST is the only application that the typical user will need to create and edit scenarios. Like FORGE, FAST (in “Editor” mode) provides the ability to create and edit scenario entities. FAST uses a streamlined user interface to simplify entity creation and editing. To reduce the possibility of introducing errors into a scenario, FAST does not support the editing of the low-level scenario parameter database. Perhaps most importantly, FAST provides a capability to create scenarios automatically by importing ATO and ACO data. FAST is also capable of exporting applicable scenario content into USMTF-formatted files. Air tasking information is exported as an ATO. Airspace control measures are exported as an ACO.

Scenario Execution

Scenario execution is started from FAST running in “Director” mode. To the end user, it appears that the scenario executes directly in FAST. However, the scenario is actually executed using FIRE, and FAST automatically connects to FIRE as a client. Additional instances of FAST running in “Controller” mode can then be started on other computers, each of which also connects to FIRE as a client.

FAST extends the capabilities of the FLAMES Engine to provide greater support executing LVC training scenarios in a number of ways:

• The FAST user interface includes several tools and displays that simplify the tasks of monitoring and controlling large numbers of entities.
• FAST includes modeling components that are more advanced than the components that are bundled with the FLAMES Engine.
• FAST simulates communications with much more realism and includes multiple interfaces for interacting directly with live tactical systems.
• FAST includes a scenario database that is more advanced than the database included with the FLAMES Engine.

Customizing FAST

The scenario database provided with FAST is fully editable. All system data parameters can be changed, new system types can be defined, and scenarios can be created and edited.

FAST is not available in a software development configuration. Therefore, it is not possible for customers to modify any of the FAST software, including the modeling components and external system interfaces. However, the capabilities of FAST can be extended by a customer using the FLAMES Developer. Because FAST is a full-fledged member of the FLAMES product family, software components developed using the FLAMES Developer are compatible with FAST.