Argon CBRNe / HazMat Training News

UK MOD Centre of Excellence invests in Argon CBRN simulation technology

Written by Steven Pike on 01 Jun 2012

UK-MoD-Using-Camsim-and-PlumeSIM-for-CBRN.jpg

Argon Electronics has been awarded a contract to equip the UK Defence Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Centre for Excellence (DCBRNC) with world class CBRN training systems to support the UK defence mission.

The Centre for Excellence designs and conducts courses of instruction to qualify personnel from all three Services for operational, training and staff CBRN defence appointments. Argon’s simulation equipment will play a crucial role in improving the quality and consistency of training for personnel from the armed services.

Argon was selected for its advanced instruments and software, its comprehensive support services and the ability to meet short lead-times. The equipment includes the company’s latest CAMSIM and LCAD hand held instruments, the MCAD simulator and the sophisticated PlumeSIM wide area CBRN field exercise and desktop training system.

Used in conjunction with Argon’s programmable electronic simulation sources, these instruments are capable of simulating a wide range of threats including nerve, blister, blood and choking agents, with responses for the simulation of contamination, decontamination, persistency and false positives.

In each case, the exact functionality, look and feel of real life in-service equipment is replicated, making it easy for trainees to transfer their knowledge from the training Centre to the field of operations.

The introduction of PlumeSIM software enables an instructor to manage multiple electronic simulators and instruments remotely in real time. PlumeSIM is designed for classroom and field training, and creates a fully configurable virtual plume over a user-defined area.  A range of parameters can easily be established, including the type of threat; release or delivery of single or multiple sources; and changing environmental conditions.

The software also records student and vehicle positions and time against simulated exposure to contaminants while in the virtual plume. This then allows decontamination training to be carried out, with a full record of each trainee’s actions being captured for subsequent analysis.

Officer Commanding the DCRBNC, Squadron Leader Balfour, explains, “The new simulation equipment is easy for our trainers to set up and for the trainees to use and allows us to simulate a wide range of realistic scenarios.

“These can be created to match the needs of each training course, the capabilities of trainees and the prevailing conditions on the ground. For example, we can simulate the presence of a vapour cloud, with varying levels of intensity that match the actual weather conditions encountered during training.

“The DCBRNC is a centre for excellence for UK and overseas armed forces. The use of advanced simulation equipment from Argon will help us fulfil this need now and in the future.”

Chemical warfare agent training using simulators

Topics: Company News

Steven Pike

Written by Steven Pike