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Joint Expeditionary Tactical Trainer Comes Online

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS051205-07
Release Date: 12/5/2005 4:55:00 PM

By Journalist 3rd Class Davis J. Anderson, Fleet Public Affairs Center Atlantic

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The Joint Expeditionary Tactical Trainer (JETT), a new facility at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek which houses the Multi-Purpose Supporting Arms Trainer (MSAT), an immersive simulation system, was brought online in an opening ceremony Nov. 17.

Both JETT and MSAT are part of Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Atlantic, whose mission is to provide training in many areas, including shipboard engineering, naval gunfire support and naval science. JETT provides integrated simulation and real-world Command, Control, Communications, Computer and Intelligence (C4I) systems support to operational commanders and their staffs in order to enhance the effectiveness of their training and improve their expeditionary war fighting capabilities. The JETT facility replicates Expeditionary and Fire Command and Control (C2) capabilities to provide a realistic training environment for a variety of audiences.

The emergence of MSAT now brings the Navy and Marine Corps joint capabilities to a new level for the planning and execution of ship-to-shore expeditionary operations.

“Basically, [with MSAT], you’re looking at being able to simulate close-air support and mortar artillery fire,” said Marine Capt. Samuel Griffith, a supporting arms instructor at JETT. “It allows you to immerse yourself with the visual graphics into that scenario and do actual calls for fire and close-air support missions."

“We’ve got to figure out how we’re going to do things smarter,” said Vice Adm. Mark Fitzgerald, commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet, to a packed auditorium during the ceremony, referring to the Navy’s need to maintain its high operational tempo while working to reduce cost.

“To take and run someone 120 times through the simulator before he sees his first live round certainly reduces the waste, but probably [also] puts that person at a much higher plane,” Fitzgerald said.

The MSAT training system is intended to provide integrated synthetic training for Joint Terminal Air Controllers, Forward Air Controllers, and Forward Observers for the tasks of employing Naval Surface Fire, artillery, mortar support and Close Air Support in support of Joint Expeditionary Operations.

Together, JETT and MSAT aims to revolutionize the way the Navy and Marine Corps team operate jointly.

“The MSAT has day and night capability and twilight,” said Kerey Howard, a visual engineer for the MSAT program. “It’s a simulated setup so you can use any night vision goggles setup and then just look at the screen - it will appear as though it were a night scene.”

The actual number of people able to get in front of the MSAT is small, but Griffith said this meets the current needs of the fleet.

“When you look at how the fleet is organized,” said Griffith, “you have two to three Joint Terminal Attack Controllers, Forward Air Controllers or Forward Observers per infantry battalion, so you’re only looking at a select few individuals that are going to be trained.”

As the Navy and Marine Corps team continues to fine-tune its mission and personnel, facilities like the JETT and MSAT will become more important.