The military has got a variety of applications which require new technology such as simulation. The uses include training the officers, rehearsing for military operations, testing and conducting evaluations and analyzing the effectiveness of war activities. Military training can be classified into training at the units or technical training. Technical training is usually structured from the time it begins till its end while training at the unit involves practical use of the tools that the trainee will be expected to use.
There are various types of simulation used by the military in its operations and in offering training to the officers. The simulation can be subdivided into two the first sub division comprising of systems and the people. The second sub division can comprise systems and people combined together and it can also be in such a way that there is neither people nor systems or one of the two.
The first type of simulation used in the military is live simulation. This type of simulation is comprised of systems and people that are alive in a situation involving a large group of people taking part in a simulated battle. The simulated battle employs live weapons and other equipment used in war.
This type of simulation is intended at preparing the officers for war. It is a real encounter that soldiers experience without necessarily going to battle fields. Militaries of different countries establish several locations in their countries to offer this type of training (Hang, 2011).
The second application of simulation in the military is the use of virtual simulation. It is among the most widely used new technologies in the military. It is used by military personnel to offer training to soldiers and aviators to guarantee success in the battle fields. Virtual simulation is used in conjunction with tank simulators which are used in training soldiers effective use of battlefield tanks.
Virtual simulation has made it possible for soldiers and operators of the tanks to network and take part in simulated wars even when they are in different locations. The wars would otherwise have been impossible because of the costs involved in transporting the soldiers and purchasing the required equipment were they to be conducted live. The training offered through virtual simulation enables the soldiers to acquire new skills that are crucial in war by participating in the exercises (Sokolowski & Banks, 2009).
During the periods when soldiers were exposed to live exercises, many injuries and even deaths were reported in training sessions. Although the live exercises are still carried out in the military, they have been made less dangerous because soldiers first go through training through virtual simulation. Virtual simulation saves huge amounts of money that would have been used in live training and gives soldiers the required fighting skills.
The other type of simulation used in the military is constructive simulation. This type of simulation brings together weapon systems and military personnel which are simulated. It is based on computer systems where simulated fighting is employed in training military personnel who command in the fields and other military staff. The training is offered in areas such as logistics, strategic planning and making plans on other tactics used by the military personnel (Simpson & West, 2011).
Some of the reasons that justify use of simulation in the military include cutting down the costs incurred in operations, offering feedback to instructors as well as taking care of the environment. For example, the cost involved in operating simulators is relatively lower as opposed to carrying out live operations.
Simulation also guarantees safety since it is much safer to undertake some operations on the simulator while the same operations are dangerous when conducted live. The simulators are also environmentally friendly since they do not produce smoke like aircrafts.
References
Hang, H. (2011). Simulators always valuable in military training. Web.
Sipson, H., & West, W. (2011). The Use of Simulation in Military Training: Value, Investment, and Potential. Web.
Sokolowski, J., & Banks, C. (2009). Modeling and simulation for analyzing global events. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons.