Tactis is a unique tactical simulator for training Armoured infantry and Leopard 2 tank battalions. Tactis makes it possible that individual crew members as well as complete teams are given battlefield training in a virtual environment. "Tactis includes a program that records and analyses the simulated battle. After the training the participants and the training staff meet in the After Action Review Room to analyse the training.

Tactis consists of a network of linked simulators and a Tactis centre. The system has two types of simulators: fifteen High Fidelity Leopard 2A6 tanks and sixteen Low Fidelity YPR vehicles. In addition there are eight supporting general simulators that take care of the deployment of artillery and engineering forces. All fixed Tactis elements will be located in a new complex that will be ready by the end of 2006. Eight mobile Leopard 2A6 simulators and two After Action Review Rooms are built in six trailers that can be deployed anywhere, even abroad.

The local maintenance of simulators for the armed forces is a completely new activity for Thales' Industrial Services (I&LS). en Thales-NL. The work consists of providing technical support and keeping a system available for training purposes.

In the realization of the contract Thales-NL works closely together with main contractor Thales Services-SAS (TS-SAS) in Cergy where the system is designed and the software is developed.Tactis_Scenery.jpgCooperation with several Thales companies around the globe enhances the specialist knowledge that is required for this program and enables Thales-NL to better respond to the customer's requirements.

In order to guarantee the high availability of the Tactis system, Thales must always be stand-by to perform maintenance or repairs. This requires an efficient organisation. And this is one of the reasons that most components are purchased in the Netherlands. A part of the integration work is performed in Hengelo. The Environmental Competence Centre is involved in the system tests.

The first prototypes of a Leopard and YPR simulator are being tested in FranceTactis_Leo_Simulator.jpg. The Netherlands Defence Ministry has plans for the procurement of other vehicles. This presents opportunities as existing simulators may require expansion.

Other current maintenance contracts for Thales include the YPR driving simulator; the small calibre weapon simulator and the mobile truck simulator.

One of the most important aspects in this huge project is security. A reliable environment for processing financial transactions securely is vital. After all, it is the money of the customer that is handled. That is why Thales teamed up with Philips and TNO, two more Dutch companies with an iron image in modern technology, to develop software to guard the various money flows.