To enhance the efficiency of the Singapore Coast Guard, A new device has been launched to simulate the realistic conditions to which boats are exposed at sea within a safe environment. The device uses modern technologies to provide an experience similar to the physical and environmental conditions that arise from the capsizing of a high-speed boat, This is to train the soldiers to swim outside safely.
The responsibilities of coast guard bodies may vary from country to country depending on their geographical location. But its primary mission is to maintain maritime borders and enforce laws, Whereas, coast guard boats pursue any suspicious unregistered vessel entering the territorial waters of any country, within high-risk operations, performed by teams of qualified personnel who receive intensive high-level training, employ all available means, Especially innovative and sophisticated.
In Singapore, An elite Coast Guard squad is specialized in high-risk maritime public security operations, It is known as the Special Operations Squadron. The soldiers of this force are trained to counter high-speed maritime threats, carrying out tactical boarding operations on offending ships, They should be prepared for any surprises such as the capsizing of the ship they raid. In the event of an incident of this kind, Soldiers become confused and trapped in a narrow underwater space. which poses a danger to soldiers, In addition to obstructing the conduct of the task, This calls for enhanced training to counter such threats.
therefore The National Team of the Science and Technology Agency in collaboration with the Defense Science and Technology Agency worked to establish the latest training facility for the Coast Guard using several innovative technologies.
This collaboration has resulted in the launch of an innovation that is the first of its kind in the country, It is a simulator training out from underwater, Using boats moving at speeds of more than 50 knots (50 nautical miles per hour), Along with an advanced tracking system and armament capabilities.
The device consists of a robotic platform and a small boat that simulates in its design the specifications of the high-speed boat “PK” used in the tasks of the special operations squadron, It uses an advanced engine and operates on customizable hydrodynamic modeling, They were extracted and matched from recorded data of ship performance.
In the training pool, A system has been designed that can easily simulate the physical and environmental conditions of the sea as close to reality as possible, It contains, for example, a current generator capable of creating different waves and marine conditions, to induce the effects of these conditions on high-speed vessels, Such as these boats capsizing upside down, Which is what the device does during training. Within this realistic framework, Soldiers have to apply the drills they have learned to remove their equipment and swim to get out from under the inverted boat safely and quickly.
Besides having 4 dedicated simulators similar to high-speed patrol boats, and the second generation of PK boats, The project includes a special station for trainers, Enables them to supervise activities and allows them to have flexible control over training scenarios, conditions and environment, And follow up all of this through the eye tracking device and surveillance cameras, which also work to record directly all the course of the training, To review and discuss with trainees, The station is also equipped with a special guidance unit for trainers to guide the target boat during training. The simulator has been developed to offer an infinite number of scenarios to train soldiers in boat handling skills, surveillance, navigation, mooring, maritime interdiction and others. As for the eye tracking device, It also allows the visual focus of trainees to be analyzed during potentially energy-draining conditions such as high-speed chases.
The project faced some challenges, The COVID-19 pandemic came at the forefront, The restrictions imposed on movement prevented participants from attending in person for tests and exercises in the initial period, Especially in light of the need for the Center of Excellence for Marine Systems to oversee all the details of the project, Ensure that the system’s capabilities meet all needs before it is integrated into the Coast Guard training pool. To pass this challenge, The team came up with an alternative solution to enable local experts to come to the site and hold virtual conferences online to discuss with foreign participants and experts and oversee the workflow.
Using modern technologies such as an eye tracking device, the performance of each trainee can be analyzed accurately. Guiding him through extensive feedback on points for improvement. In general, This device provides Special Operations Squadron personnel with a realistic platform to perform more effective and safe training in a protected and controlled environment. This will reduce the risk of injuries and accidents, It will increase the efficiency and confidence of soldiers to perform real operations and respond to emergencies.
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