Tactical Data Link Plug-in for VR-Forces

Based in Ottawa, Canada, CogSim is a long-term MAK customer and partner – having built several multi-channel helicopter simulators and training devices on VR-Vantage and VR-Forces. 

CogSim has released a Commercial Off the Shelf Tactical Data Link (TDL) plug-in for VR-Forces based in their core TDL Simulation Suite libraries. The TDL Message Library provides the ability to create, populate, encode and decode TDL messages for Link 16 (J series) and Variable Message Format (VMF) (K Series) messages, with support for SISO-J, SIMPLE and JREAP-C payloads. 

Developed for the UK Royal Air Force’s Gladiator program, CogSim’s TDL for VR-Forces add-on enhances MAK’s CGF capabilities by modeling, publishing, receiving, and visualizing various reports and other messages (represented on the HLA network using the SISO-J FOM – a.k.a. SISO-STD-002-2006). The module includes plug-ins for both the VR-Forces Sim Engine and the VR-Forces GUI, so that VR-Forces can not only model and publish TDL messages, but also display TDL data (including from non-VR-Forces federates) as overlays on the map, 3D scene, or in cockpit instruments. 

CogSim has also built an AIS for VR-Forces plug-in module – which gives VR-Forces the ability to simulate and transmit Automatic Information System (AIS) data from real-time maritime platform simulation state; and an ASTERIX for VR-Forces add-on, which similarly enables the transmission of simulated radar contacts using the All Purpose Structured Eurocontrol Surveillance Information Exchange (ASTERIX) data standard.