A new simulator at the 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria aims to better prepare soldiers for battle. The technology also saves money:
It’s technically called the Joint Terminal Attack Controller Simulator.
It’s a large, dome-like structure that projects the view from a ground soldier on the battlefield. The simulation allows the soldier to locate targets, call in airstrikes and coordinate with other ground troops. Major Jason Clifford says the technology is needed amid cuts in both funding and time spent with real aircraft:
“Having a simulator like this really helps us train and maintain proficiency, so that when we do go out on the range, we maximize the time out there.”
Clifford says the more than $1 million-dollar simulator also saves money. It can cost $10,000 an hour to use one jet for training exercises.