DAHLGREN, Va. – The Center for Surface Combat Systems (CSCS) has conducted strategic rating reviews for their eight enlisted ratings in support of the Ready Relevant Learning (RRL) initiative; “Right Training, Right Time, Right Place.”
The goals of the reviews were to assess health of training, identify where in their career Sailors may better learn and understand material provided after they have gained experience and identify where new learning technologies could be implemented to make training more effective and accessible to the fleet.
CSCS is currently working with Surface Warfare Division (OPNAV N96) via the Surface and Expeditionary Warfare Training Committee (SEWTC) on three pillars of training technology that have been identified to facilitate a continuum of learning. These technology enablers will support high velocity learning and efforts are being led by Navy Education and Training Command (NETC) and Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWC TSD).
“Onboard Individual Learning Systems, Distributed Training Technology and High Fidelity Shore Based Trainers in Fleet Concentration Areas will radically change the way the Navy executes combat systems training,” said Capt. Bill McKinley, CSCS commanding officer.
Onboard Individual Learning Systems will make training available to Sailors onboard ship to preclude the need to go to a schoolhouse to receive training. The Submarine community already uses an approach of this type called the Submarine On Board Training (SOBT) System.
“CSCS would like for the surface community to mimic SOBT via a concept known as Ship Learning Continuum System (SLCS),” said David Tilley, the Training Simulation Requirements Analyst for CSCS.
“While initial implementation will be stand alone, the ultimate end state of SLCS would be to run on the ship’s existing Local Area Network Infrastructure and provide self-paced, highly interactive learning content. The content will serve to enhance a Sailor’s skills and knowledge and provide just in time training in preparation for upcoming shipboard evolutions or maintenance actions and refresher training without having to spend time away from the ship,” Tilley said.
The learning content will feature a variety of technologies such as virtual worlds, gaming and instructional how to videos such as those found on YouTube. SLCS will not only make training more effective and accessible, but also improve quality of life as it will preclude the need for Sailors to be away from their duty station.
Distributed Training Technology, such as Virtual Schoolhouse (vSchool), will enable students to be trained at multiple shore sites in a common virtual environment.
“It differs from traditional shore based learning,” said Rozeta Fairchild, the Virtual Training Requirements Analyst for CSCS. “Instead of students assembling at a single geographic site, they can interact virtually as avatars from a specially configured electronic classroom in each homeport. vSchool learning aids instructor utilization efficiency, eliminates student travel cost and takes advantage of technology advances in instructional delivery methods to improve effectiveness of training.”
High Fidelity Shore-Based Trainers enable accomplishment of training objectives ashore that are not effectively supported by ship systems and / or the objectives are not practical to accomplish onboard ship. An example is the Littoral Combat Ship Training Facility (LTF) San Diego which employs high fidelity training systems ashore that enable accomplishment of the Train to Qualify and Train to Certify requirements.
“The small crew size of LCS and lack of embedded systems on the ships mandate the use of high fidelity training systems ashore to achieve crew training and readiness objectives,” explained Joe Shifflett, LCS Training Facility Program Manager.
The Aegis Ashore Team Trainer (AATT) in Gallery Hall onboard Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex serves a similar role in training and certifying rotational Ballistic Missile Defense Crews to serve at the Aegis Ashore site in Romania today and eventually the site in Poland in 2018.
“AATT allows us to train, qualify, and certify our Sailors so when they arrive in Romania they are immediately prepared to stand their watch,” said Larry Sharp, Director, AATT.
In our ever-advancing global society, we must implement a variety of technology enablers to achieve the ultimate goal of Ready Relevant Learning.
“We need to create an environment that institutionalizes training innovation so we can continue to provide the Fleet with Sailors who have the cutting-edge skills to defend our waters and remain the best Navy in the world,” McKinley said. “I believe CSCS has and will continue to harness emerging training technologies to map the future of combat systems training.”
CSCS' mission is to develop and deliver surface ship combat systems training to achieve surface warfare superiority. CSCS headquarters' staff oversees 14 Learning Sites and provides nearly 70,000 hours of curriculum for 700 courses a year to more than 40,000 Sailors. CSCS delivers specialized training for Officer and Enlisted Sailors required to tactically operate, maintain, and employ shipboard and shore-based weapons, sensors, and command and control systems utilized in today's Navy.
For information on the Center for Surface Combat Systems, visit www.netc.navy.mil/centers/cscs/.
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Brian Deters is the Technical Support Director for the Center for Surface Combat Systems and Kimberly Lansdale is in the CSCS Public Affairs Office.