Question text
Mrs. Patricia Mirallès drew the attention of the Minister of the Armed Forces to the training of the Rafale pilots. While General Philippe Lavigne, Chief of Staff has just presented his "flight plan", which will be completed in early 2019 by a strategic document, it is mentioned the desire to raise the level of operational readiness of pilots on gust. It is thus envisaged to resort to the simulation in order to put the pilots in more and more complex situations by multiplying the targets and the nature of the threats. The deputy would therefore like to know the timetable for the implementation of this device level, its concrete modalities and the budget that will be devoted to it. She would also like to know whether a mechanism, other than financial, was envisaged for the purpose of retaining pilots.
Response text
The operational capacity is based in particular on training in a realistic environment both in terms of equipment and threats, which is an essential element for the success of engagements. Within the Air Force, operational preparation is based on an iterative succession of phases and on continuous processes guaranteeing: the acquisition of skills (training), the maintenance and improvement of these skills ( training) and the management of an operational situation in a realistic and trying environment (operational preparation, individual as collective).
This operational preparation can be broken down into four processes: mechanization, which consists of the acquisition of reflex actions, for example for blind flights, failure management or basic use of the weapon system; standardization among pilots which allows them to act collectively by reducing internal factors of combat unpredictability; the development and maintenance of ease and endurance in combat; finally, the development of judgment, initiative and leadership, in order to be able to act outside the norm in a complex environment and thus ensure the capacity to decide in uncertainty.
The Rafale belongs to a new generation of versatile and complex equipment making it possible to carry out in a single flight several missions formerly assigned to several types of aircraft (air superiority, reconnaissance, bombardment). Training would therefore naturally require an increase in the volume of air activity devoted to operational preparation. Indeed, no equipment is versatile if its staff is not. The Air Force has been using flight simulators for more than 40 years in order to carry out part of the operational preparation.
Advances in networking capabilities and realism in recent years are making it possible to increase the use of simulation to meet this increased need for support for training and operational readiness. This is why the Air Force is making significant investments for the benefit of simulation: beyond the costs of acquiring the systems, 14.3 million euros will be devoted in 2019 to their operation and support, 35 million euros over the period of the LPM 2019-2025. This increase will increase the level of performance and versatility of operators on complex systems and improve the preparation of forces, especially at the top of the spectrum.
To do this, the Air Force is improving the quality of its virtual operational preparation by relying on the networking of its virtual simulators, the enrichment of missions by hybridization with virtual actors and massive simulation in high-spectrum network (SMR), derived from technologies developed for video games. The creation of the Distributive Mission Operational Center (DMOC) within the Center d ' Military Air Expertise (CEAM) at Mont-de-Marsan in September 2018 is a major step in strengthening operational readiness.
The Rafale community currently has 2 Rafale simulation centers (in Saint-Dizier and in Landivisiau) which offer a connection possibility.
At the end of 2020, this fleet of Rafale simulation centers will be supplemented by a new center in Mont-de-Marsan (center with 2 complete cabins, cost 29 million euros) and during 2021, a modernized M2000D simulation center will equip the air base. of Nancy (renovation of the M2000D simulator to switch to the mid-life renovation standard (RMV) and modernization of the 3 flight trainers, total cost € 52 million).
All these means will be natively interconnectable, unlike traditional simulators which do not have not been designed to communicate with each other and enable network training. In addition, the hybridization of real and virtual training will make it possible by 2025 to carry out missions during which real aircraft or combatants will train in the face of real threats as well as simulated threats. These will be generated by artificial intelligence or by piloted simulators.
The integration of on-board simulation into our weapon systems is an essential prerequisite for the deployment of this capability. In order for a virtual threat to appear in the weapon system of a real aircraft, it is necessary to modify its "core system".
Embedded simulation is now present in the new aircraft of Pilatus PC21 training and will be in the Rafale at the F4 standard by 2025. In the medium term, the SMR appears to be the most interesting and realistic avenue for having mass simulation tools at reduced costs. SMR offers many perspectives, particularly with the networking of the various operational players and a wider range of possibilities compared to conventional simulators.
Not having a very high level of representativeness, the tools are designed to allow an optimized mass simulated tactical training at reduced cost. This option does not call into question the previous two made necessary by the needs of basic tactical training which impose a high level of system compliance to ensure mastery of technical and tactical fundamentals. SMR-type solutions are the result of two initiatives launched by Air Force crews with the support of the CEAM as part of the “innovation mission”. They were presented to defense universities in 2018.
A scaling up project is being studied through the Defense Innovation Agency, with the ambition of deploying a first capability. end of 2019, at this stage on M2000. However, for SMR to really develop, the association of traditional manufacturers (Dassault, Airbus, Thalès) will be necessary to be authorized to reproduce the flight models of our aircraft. In general, it emerges that simulation contributes and will contribute to the acquisition and maintenance of basic technical know-how, by allowing significant gains in the use of real resources without completely replacing them. It therefore directly participates in the retention of Air Force pilots, for whom real air activity in sufficient quantity and quality remains essential.
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