10.1 Naval Reserve Divisions

　

 The 17 Reserve Divisions with stand-alone stations employ the NPTT exclusively as a self-study tool. The majority of these Divisions have a small officer corps and little or no instructional expertise. These stations download the requisite training exercises from the LMS and function in a fashion parallel to that of a self-study station at the Naval Officer Training Centre. The LMS database files can be accessed at anytime by the Naval Reserve Headquarters to monitor training volume and individual officer progression. The training applications consist of the following:

　

10.2 Regional Training Centres

　

 The designated role of the regional training centres mirror that of the smaller divisions but also occasionally employ their dual station NPTT in the instructor/ student mode. Personnel from divisions in the same general locale are pooled together on a regular basis to conduct specialised training at an intermediate level. This expanded application supports the following:

10.3 Naval Reserve Fleet School

　

 The Naval Reserve Fleet School uses its new simulation capability in a similar fashion to the NPTT classroom at the Naval Officer Training Centre, and as a small scale simulator for multitask training. This combined approach addresses the previous training deficiency associated with the inability to conduct in-house practical training in support of mandated training such as harbour defence, route survey and minesweeping operations.

 The Canadian Navy's purchase of a part task training system was contingent upon the provision of a Pan-Navy site licence for all supporting software. This stipulation implies that expanding the number of NPTT workstations and/or site locations hinges only on the procurement of additional COTS hardware to support the desired applications. The cost implications of future NPTT expansion are reasonably small, and expansion can be conducted in a progressive fashion. It is quite likely that the number of units at the Naval Reserve Divisions will be expanded in the near future. Another highly likely application is the advent of shipboard training systems. Due to the lack of flexibility with ship's sailing programmes and the competition for FMS assets on both coasts, the NPTTs would provide a useful venue for individual skill development whilst deployed. Additionally, the shipboard NPTT (supported by shore-based instructional expertise) could provide ship's navigators and captains with a useful mission rehearsal tool immediately prior to port entry or other high-risk navigation or ship-handling operations.

　

 The integration of the NPTT with the current FMS systems provides the Canadian Navy with numerous training venues, the combination of which can cater to all specific bridge officer training needs. The new NPTT capabilities for individual self study, skill maintenance and instruction of basic skill sets permit part task training to be conducted in a highly efficient fashion. Correspondingly, the utility of the existing FMS bridges are maximised for team and multi-task training. The Naval Reserve, for the first time, has access to de-centralised satellite simulation facilities that through the LMS server are directly supported by the existing centralised training infrastructure and pool of instructional expertise. In the near future, satellite training facilities should be further expanded to include all ships.

　

 The advent of electronic coaching and evaluation mechanisms has enhanced the standardisation of basic skill set demonstration and practice. The e-coach is also the enabling mechanism for experienced instructors to provide remote guidance and mentoring to a large number of students on a recurring basis. Directed and monitored self-study can be conducted both at the schools and at the Naval Reserve Divisions. This guidance is compiled to reflect the procedures and practices accepted by senior naval personnel. The employment of a standardised electronic mentoring and evaluation system greatly reduces the likelihood of students developing bad habits or achieving negative training during self-study sessions. Moreover, the elevation of basic skill set competence at all rank and experience levels has increased the complexity threshold from whence FMS training can commence.

　

 The NPTT also supplements FMS-based training by providing a configurable training device, easily adapted to suit a variety of training roles at all skill levels. Accessible to all operational units as well as to the schools, the NPTT facilitates the process of blending formalised training with ship's operational cycles. Officers are able to practise techniques and procedures from a NPTT station at a Reserve Division, or on a ship immediately prior to putting the procedure into practise. Additionally, follow-on training and post-event analysis can be conducted immediately after employing a technique or conducting a particular manoeuvre at sea. This ability to deliver officer training adaptable to prevailing needs, available on demand, and presented in a fashion in context to real-life performance requirements is the final step in completing a fully scalable training system.

　

 The task of optimising the Canadian Navy's scalable training system will likely continue for several years. As experience is gained in the use of part task simulators, their effectiveness as an instructional tool to meet specific training elements will have to be thoroughly assessed. Instructional staffs will need to review, validate and refine the ideal balance between FMS and PTT instruction. The decision to implement the PTT system was driven primarily by the need to enhance existing capability. The Navy will, however, certainly investigate whether any savings in training costs are incurred, particularly in the area of instructor resources and equipment maintenance. In the final analysis, the effectiveness of the scalable simulation system will be its ability to enhance the training provided to bridge officers at all stages of sea-going careers from cadet to ship's captain.

　

 Garland Hardy is the President of LANTEC Marine Incorporated. Since 1996 LANTEC has been contracted to operate the Canadian Naval Operations School's navigation and ship handling simulator in Halifax and to manage all aspects of simulation training and curriculum development. LANTEC also provides subject matter expertise to simulator manufacturers in the fields of area database design and the implementation of instructional tools. He graduated in 1987 from College Militaire Royal in St-Jean, Canada, with a degree in business administration, and served as a Destroyer Navigating Officer in both the Pacific and Atlantic fleets until 1995.

　

 Herbert F. Taylor is the President of Kongsberg Maritime Ship Systems Inc. (KMSSI) of Mystic, CT., USA, and the North/South America Area Representative for the International Marine Simulator Forum (IMSF). He has been involved in marine simulation projects since 1980, in positions that include program manager for operations and research at the Computer Aided Operations Research Facility (CAORF) at Kings Point, N.Y., and project manager for marine simulator systems delivered to customers in the United States, South korea and Panama. He graduated in 1975 from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, with a degree in marine transportation and both deck and engine licenses (dual license program). He received his Masters Degree in Business Administration from Long Island University in New York.