Providing the training system simulation for the USMC CAC2S.

The United States Marine Corps’ Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S) provides the Aviation Command and Control (AC2) Human System Interface (HSI) for field commanders to access the operational environment and provide an information network that will enable effective command and control (C2) of all aviation assets in support of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF), Joint and Coalition Forces. CAC2S enabled the consolidation of the existing functionality of legacy Marine Air Command and Control System (MACCS) C2 systems into a single system, capable of performing multiple AC2 functions, while achieving a fully networked and fully integrated capability in support of the MAGTF C2 concept. CAC2S provides a system for field commanders to access an information network that enables effective command and control (C2) of all aviation assets in support of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) and Joint and Coalition Forces.

Ternion’s Role in CAC2S

The USMC, needing to address training for CAC2S, wanted to move away from traditional training concepts focused on school-house oriented, temporary duty training for personnel away from the garrison. They aspired to extend the training opportunities for the warfighter such that meaningful and useful training can occur in-garrison and in the field.

In order to accomplish this goal, the USMC needed a training simulation that was included as part of the operational C2 system and wanted USMC personnel to be capable of not only operating the training simulation but also capable of creating and maintaining new and existing training scenarios. Therefore, the training simulation needed to be easy to use and easy to understand and provide a user experience that is intuitive yet immersive. Likewise, given the training required at a squadron, the training simulation also needed to be capable of providing a realistic simulated environment that allowed USMC operators to be trained in all aspects of air operations and support in accordance with Marine Corps training and readiness requirements.

The Marine Corps chose Ternion’s FAST simulation as its program of record for the training simulation for CAC2S. FAST was developed by Ternion specifically to support embedded training in operational systems. FAST can also serve as the central constructive simulation in a live-virtual-constructive training exercise. FAST is flexible, versatile and configurable, allowing it to not only provide deployable, individual unit training but to also support large, multi-unit distributed, interactive training exercises.