Rheinmetall has handed over the first of seven Ausbildungs-Ausstattung Training Navigation (AATN) ship handling simulators to the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) at the Naval Operations School (MOS/NAVOS) in Bremerhaven, the company announced on 3 July 2024.
The BAAINBw also handed over the system to the German Navy, thus giving the authorisation to use the system and marking the start of its rollout to end users, who can now integrate their first simulator into their training operations.
Following identification of the need to regenerate existing systems and procure new systems in the area of technical navigation training, the naval schools and flotillas defined functional requirements, resulting in the project ‘Regeneration AATN’.
A key success factor in its implementation was the agile and iterative interaction between the various users and participants in the project, from the design phase to the development and testing phase, according to Rheinmetall. This made it possible, among other things, to incorporate important technical changes from other parallel projects and to to realise a construction project on naval property by creating a temporary infrastructure.
The AATN handed over to the NAVOS is a classroom trainer with 20 student workstations and one instructor workstation dedicated to the training of naval personnel that virtually simulates all German Navy ships and relevant sea areas. The NAVOS primarily offers tactical, navigational and radio communications training for future warship operators, including trainees from foreign navies as part of exchange programmes. The AATN in Bremerhaven enables interdisciplinary nautical training for all naval services throughout all ranks for the approximately 3,000 personnel who go through the NAVOS every year.
With a focus on technical navigation using electronic chart systems and various radar surfaces, these simulators also offer the opportunity to realistically teach content in terrestrial and astronomical navigation, nautical law, military procedures, ship handling and basic seamanship such as manoeuvring in port, towing or being towed. At the same time the simulator meets the high standards and requirements for information security in accordance with German Federal Office for Information Security guidelines.
In addition to the NAVOS at Bremerhaven being the first user, the Naval Academy Mürwik will receive two systems and the naval bases in Wilhelmshaven, Kiel, Eckernförde and Warnemünde will each receive their own AATN in different configurations in order to facilitate a decentralised training regime.
The rollout of the simulators continues this summer with Eckernförde and with Warnemünde in the winter.
