Realistic at-sea training from within an on-land simulator

A split-second decision during a high-speed chase at sea is all that separates a successful mission from a failed one for the Police Coast Guard (PCG).

And the consequences of failure are grave: intruders trespass unimpeded in Singapore's waters or, much worse, the PCG's own craft ends up capsizing.

To help its officers practise for such high-risk scenarios, the PCG has been using a new simulation system since March for training.

The Tactical Boat Handling and Firing Simulator system comprises four customised simulators. Two duplicate the movements of the PCG's patrol interdiction boat and the other two duplicate those of the PCG's high-speed interceptor boats.

The system is designed in collaboration with the Home Team Science and Technology Agency.

The simulators emulate the bumpy ride in a vessel travelling at speeds exceeding 50 knots - the equivalent of about 92kmh on land.

Trainees don eye-tracking goggles in the simulators and practise their boat-handling and firing skills, while trainers keep an eye on their progress from their own operating station.

The trainers also control the different scenarios, "sea conditions" and overall simulation environment. They also have a steering console to control the target boat in the simulation.

Superintendent Ahamed Basha, 41, who is overall in charge of PCG's training school, said the system helps trainees overcome a "steep learning curve".

Live training poses additional safety risks because of the high speeds and the close-quarter situation with the target boats, said Supt Basha to the media during a demonstration of the simulation system last week.

"When we are doing practical training out there, there is very little room for error," he said.

Officers can train on the simulator to build confidence. The simulation also helps PCG overcome resource constraints, saves the time it would take to head out to sea for training and reduces the amount of manpower needed, said Supt Basha.

Trainees also benefit from practising firing on moving targets in the simulation, instead of firing at stationary targets in open waters - which is a limitation during at-sea training, he said.

Inspector James (not his real name), a member of the PCG's elite Special Task Squadron, said the platform is "very dynamic" and close to what they experience at sea.

The inspector's real name cannot be revealed due to operational sensitivities. The squadron is tasked with intercepting high-speed threats and intruders.

The dangers usually associated with such situations include heavy sea traffic, potential collateral damage from collisions and adverse weather conditions.

With this simulation, his team can efficiently try out different tactics in a safe space, he added.

But the goal here is to augment live training at sea rather than replace it. Insp James said: "Once we get the best outcome in the simulation, then we'll try it out in real sea conditions."

Supt Basha said that when trainees have acquired all the correct concepts and grasped the fundamentals during the simulation training, they are ready to do their practical training at sea.

"That makes it safe for us to conduct the training and it will be safer for everybody," he added.