The Guardia di Finanza air-naval operations simulation center (video)

(To Leonardo)
09/02/23

Last week the Guardia di Finanza inaugurated its Naval Operations Simulation Center at the Pratica di Mare air base (Rome), during an official ceremony in the presence of representatives of the institutions and of Leonardo.

The new centre, the development of which was started at the end of 2020 by the Company on the basis of the specifications of the Corps, making use of the most advanced and innovative technologies in the field, has as its objective the training of the crews assigned to the air-naval missions of the Guardia di Finanza . The new center, the only one in Europe with these characteristics, integrates advanced simulation systems connected to the network in the same virtual environment. These faithfully reproduce the most recently introduced Leonardo helicopters and aircraft in the Corps, used by the crews to carry out the various operational tasks, as well as the Company's mission systems used on board, among other things, for surveillance and identification . Added to these are a scenario simulator, also created by Leonardo and capable of reproducing the environment in which vehicles and personnel operate in a cooperative way, a simulator of the bridge of a ship to also integrate the presence of surface units in maritime environment - developed in collaboration with Cetena (Fincantieri) - and a ground command center for the coordination of operations.

Specifically, the 'mini motion' type simulation systems, introduced for the first time ever, include Enhanced Training Device (ETD e-Motion) of AW169 and AW139 helicopters and P72B aircraft fully representative of aircraft performance, avionics and cockpits and able to provide crews with an adequate and realistic 'physical' response thanks to effective integrated actuators on the platforms. The training of the pilots is added to that of the specialists in charge of the management of Leonardo's ATOS (Airborne Tactical Observation and Surveillance) mission systems for the AW139 and P-72B platforms and of the recovery winch operators in the cabin, with a virtual reality environment highly immersive dedicated to search and rescue missions.

Thanks to these simulation capabilities, the personnel will be trained in an environment capable of replicating with high realism the level of interoperability represented by the current and future multi-domain scenarios in which the Guardia di Finanza aeronaval device is called to carry out its institutional tasks of security, surveillance, patrol and rescue.

The center has been awarded the qualification of Approved Training Organisation by the 'European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Certificate of Approval for Training Remote Piloting Aircraft Systems (RPAS) fromNational Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC). The structure was located in hangar 'L' of the Pratica di Mare base, adapted to the purpose with the support of Leonardo, and is also fully integrated into the global network of the helicopter training academy of the company that coordinated the initiative, allowing the pooling of the highest international flight and mission training standards ensured by the various companies.

The initiative is the result of the strong support of the Guardia di Finanza for the use of simulation aimed at training and of Leonardo's industrial and technological capabilities in this field, which integrate the skills in the business areas of the fixed and rotating and electronics and sensors, in the training and development and use of 'digital twins'.

The Guardia di Finanza thus becomes a reference model for other national and international actors with a strong focus on interoperability in complex scenarios. At the same time, Leonardo confirms its commitment to the development and implementation of technologically advanced training solutions for security forces around the world.

photo/video: Online Defense