Rosauro Angelo Rodriguez
National security is not purely theoretical for the Philippines. For decades, the country has confronted security threats from inside and outside its vast, 7,461-island archipelago. Internally, it has faced communist and fundamentalist insurgencies and terrorism. Externally, the growing shadow of the People’s Republic of China entails coast guard harassment, incursions and aggression, compounded by the specter of transnational crime, cyber threats and other critical concerns.
Given the scope and magnitude of such perils, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has long known it needs to be forward-thinking, innovative and aggressive in understanding warfare. To meet mounting security challenges, the AFP has, among other things, embraced simulation technology for training personnel and maintaining preparedness.
Enhancing Readiness
Today, professional military simulations are remarkably realistic. Adaptive scenarios using artificial intelligence expose military personnel to various conditions, enhancing their preparedness for diverse operational challenges. Wearable technologies and human behavior modeling boost the realism of training scenarios. Comprehensive simulation platforms combine technologies into a unified ecosystem, allowing multidomain training exercises that can incorporate personnel worldwide.
Simulations are designed to address a broad range of training and readiness needs. Simulation technology allows the AFP to train in realistic scenarios without exposing Soldiers to the inherent risks of live exercises, according to Col. Jooney Jay Businos of the Philippine Army’s Special Forces.
“Military simulations enable our trainers to customize scenarios to meet specific training objectives, allow Soldiers to practice critical tasks repeatedly, respond to a wide range of scenarios, and enable trainees to develop and reinforce essential skills and decision-making processes,” Businos said.
By providing instant feedback, simulations help personnel recognize mistakes and make real-time adjustments, accelerating the learning process and contributing to a culture of readiness and continuous skill improvement. They also facilitate operational coordination among military units and branches, and tactical training for individuals and small units. Simulations help commanders refine planning and decision-making processes, and develop effective strategies and battle plans, honing their leadership skills while managing operations in real time.
“Military simulations can create real-world situations so that military personnel can better adapt to the complexities of actual combat,” Businos said. “They can be customized to address specific training objectives, ensuring that Soldiers are exposed to a broad spectrum of challenges, and fostering a mindset of flexibility and readiness for the unpredictability of actual operations.”
Simulations can address challenges related to humanitarian issues, which are critical when dealing with insurgencies like those faced by the Philippines in recent decades, and domestic threats including natural disasters. In such simulations, interactions between armed forces and civilians can be modeled, emphasizing the importance of cooperation and coordination. Simulations can also help forces prepare for scenarios such as evacuations, providing medical care during combat and optimizing the deployment of personnel, equipment and other resources.
Saving lives, money
Simulations provide a safe and controlled environment. They not only reduce training accidents but also can help trainees manage the psychological and emotional effects of high-stress situations and develop enhanced resilience, experts say. The benefits of simulated training in maintaining military preparedness were highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, when travel and other restrictions forced the postponement of live drills and exercises.
Simulations can reduce the costs of training and readiness exercises, which traditionally involve extensive logistical support and large transportation, fuel and infrastructure expenses. For example, a U.S. Army study found that using a high-fidelity flight simulator for AH-64 Apache helicopter training saved roughly $4,000 per hour without degrading proficiency.
Simulations also minimize wear and tear on equipment and facilities, reducing maintenance costs and extending the life of weaponry and other assets.
Getting real with simulations
The AFP is expanding its initiatives in simulated training, a field in which its longtime ally, the U.S., is a global leader.
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) inaugurated its first missile simulator in 2022 at Basa Air Base, about 85 kilometers northeast of Manila, to train personnel for its Surface-to-Air Python and Derby (SPYDER) mobile missile system. The simulator focuses on developing detection, command and control, and missile firing capabilities. The SPYDER system defends against threats including attack aircraft, bombers, helicopters, cruise missiles and other stand-off weapons, which can be launched from a distance that allows attackers to evade countermeasures. Simulation technology also is used to train pilots for the PAF’s fleet of Black Hawk helicopters, almost 50 of which have been ordered since 2019. Pilots train at a center run by aerospace firm CAC in Brunei.
In 2022, the AFP received a new simulator for training armored vehicle operators to use 105 mm guns. The purchase from Singapore-based defense firm Wolfberry Asia and Indonesian company PT Indocertes is tied to the acquisition of Sabrah ASCOD light tanks and Pandur II armored personnel carriers. The AFP also is using military simulations in workshops at its National Defense College and at local training events with allies.
Participation in training and exercises organized by regional or international partners is key to advancing the AFP’s use of simulation technology, as well as to building interoperability and trust among participating forces, according to Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, deputy commander of the Philippine Navy. Evolving bilateral agreements and security assistance programs may include provisions for enhancing the Philippines’ defense capabilities, including training and simulation technology support.
Manila and Washington could collaborate on projects to improve military simulations, which would help develop the AFP’s capabilities, Trinidad said. The U.S. may also facilitate technology transfers, providing simulation software, equipment and expertise to enhance the AFP’s mission planning and training.
The Philippine Navy sees strong potential to further develop simulation technology, which would help the Philippines and its Allies and Partners, Trinidad said. “It would be easier to ‘plug and play’ with the forces of our regional Partners and Allies, specifically on issues surrounding the West Philippine Sea [South China Sea]. This collaboration helps to foster mutual learning and promotes a more realistic and integrated training experience.”
Deep Traditions in Combat Simulation
Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines have long understood the value of rigorous training. In the early 19th century, the Prussian army officer Georg von Reisswitz created the first war game to be broadly adopted for military training, including in the Philippines and throughout the Indo-Pacific. His “Kriegsspiel” became the global standard for most conflict simulations through World War I.
In 1935, United States Army Gen. Douglas MacArthur was appointed the nation’s first military advisor to the Philippines. Under his leadership, Philippine troops were exposed to U.S. training and preparedness philosophies. Two years earlier, MacArthur had famously said: “In no other profession are the penalties for employing untrained personnel so appalling or irrevocable as in the military.”
In the 1950s, U.S. businessman Charles Roberts created Tactics, the first warfighting board game, which more effectively quantified troop movements and combat strength, among other advancements. Later decades saw the rise of computer-based simulations, notably the Research Analysis Corp.’s Theaterspiel, MicroProse’s Gunship and Microsoft Flight Simulator, indirectly contributing to military training. By the close of the 20th century, military simulators had become increasingly sophisticated, incorporating advanced technologies such as virtual reality.
