Army Game Project's Frank Blackwell On America’s Army - Jason Dobson

Following our recent interview with Chris Chambers, the Deputy Director on the popular America's Army serious game , Serious Games Source recently spoke with Frank Blackwell, program manager for the America’s Army project office. Serving as the software manager for the public America’s Army game and all America’s Army based training applications, Blackwell had some interesting insights into the game, as well as how it is being used today as a tool for the US military.

Hello Mr. Blackwell, and thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. Before we get to heavily involved in talking about America’s Army, could you talk a bit about your background and how are you adapting it for working on the America’s Army project?

I hold a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. I have 19 years experience in development and management of software intensive Army systems. The America’s Army Software Management Team is applying the U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Research, Development, & Engineering Center (AMRDEC) Software Engineering Directorate (SED) Software Development Process to gaming software development.

What kind of specialty does your group bring to the AA Government applications group?

The SED’s Applied Imagery Lab (AIL) has been developing virtual reality training devices for eight years. The AIL has successfully fielded training devices for Javelin, TOW ITAS, Stinger, Stryker, etc. Our strengths include our systems engineering approach to training device development and our standard, formal, software development processes.

What are some of the current applications for the America ’s Army technology?

We are currently developing America’s Army based training applications for many different Army Systems. These training applications include Live Fire Virtual Targetry for Urban Combat Training where America’s Army virtual scenarios are projected on screens in containerized shoot houses for Live Fire training (real weapons and real bullets). We rapidly developed a Bunker Defeat Munition training device by reusing the single screen Future Soldier Trainer and a non-tethered simulated BDM with compressed air cartridges for realistic launch effects. The Javelin Basic Skills Trainer integrates the America’s Army scenarios with the Javelin Basic Skills Trainer hardware and tactical Javelin symbology, menus, and controls functions.

America’s Army is not only used to train weapon systems, the America’s Army software provides the virtual world for the Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) Recon Vehicle Trainer. The NBC Recon Vehicle trainer consists of the Instructor console, Driver controls, Tactical FBCB2, Tactical Surveyors Control Computer, simulated Chemical Biological Mass Spectrometer, simulated Standoff Chemical Agent Detector, and a host of other system components integrated into a collective crew training capability. Other ongoing developments include:  TOW ITAS Basic Skills Trainer, Convoy Skills Engagement Trainer, Personnel Recovery Training, Air & Missile Defense Convoy Operations Training, Packbot Robot Training, and Rapid Response Missile. We are also developing a training application for Night Observation Devices (NOD). The NODs training requires the advanced capabilities of Epic’s Unreal 3 engine.

What are some of the projects that are fielded?

The America’s Army software is currently being used to train the Common Remotely Operated Weapons Station (CROWS) in Balad, Iraq and the NBC Stryker at Dugway Proving Ground, UT.

What are some projects that are in the concept stage?

We are working with NASA to define requirements for a Prototype NASA game using Epic’s Unreal 3 engine. We have also been approached by various Army and Government agencies about possible game based training for IED Detection, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Defense Logistics, Combat Readiness Command - Risk Management, Non-Lethal Weapons, Directed Energy Weapons, Hellfire, and Non-Line of Sight Missile.

What other types of training could the America’s Army platform be used for?

The potential applications for gaming-based training and education are unlimited; not only for the U.S. Army, but DOD, NASA, Homeland Defense, K-12, colleges, and universities. The gaming environment provides a mechanism where the student can be exposed to material and situations, and then explore those situations in an interactive setting.

What government or military agencies are you currently working with?

We are currently exploring possible applications with NASA, the U.S. Secret Service, Air Force, Homeland Defense, and the NYPD.

Why is the America’s Army platform ideal for training?

The gaming technology built on Epic’s Unreal Engine provides “active” education and training where the student is engaged and immersed in the training and decision making is required. Students can experience the consequences of their decisions and After Action Review provides additional feedback to the student and instructor.

How has the America’s Army platform been used for visualization (movies)?

America’s Army has been used to develop concept demonstrations (or movies) for the Rapid Response Missile and Chemical Biological Detection systems. America’s Army was also used to create a movie of the battle where SFC Paul Smith earned the Medal of Honor.

Why is the America’s Army platform ideal for rapid development?

It begins with the flexibility and development environment of Epic’s Unreal Engine. Then the America’s Army public game and training applications are built on a common code base to insure maximum reuse of existing assets, maps, AAR, Instructor Console, etc.

Could you tell us about the America’s Army lab?

The America’s Army Lab at the Army Aviation & Missile Command’s Software Engineering Directorate provides a demonstration and test environment for America’s Army Government Applications. Potential America’s Army users can see the existing training applications to help shape requirements definition and reuse determination.

How does AA work effectively with their partners and SMEs to create training?

The America’s Army Software Development Team is only half of the equation; we have the technology to develop the training but we need the SME’s to define the training goals and scenarios. For instance, during development of the CROWS BST we worked closely with U.S. Army Soldiers from Iraq to define realistic situations and scenarios for training.

We’ve heard some of the America’s Army training makes its way into the public game. Can you tell us how this is handled and how it’s beneficial for AA players?

The CROWS training software is being re-purposed and included in the upcoming 2.7 release of the public game. The same is true for the Javelin Weapon System. This exposes the public America’s Army audience to real Army systems, training, and situations. We have also worked with the Combat Readiness Center at Fort Rucker to include seat belts into the vehicles for the Version 2.7 release.