From the boresight line: AIMTEST: bridging the gap between simulators and live fire

Over the past few years, training budgets have been cut substantially while readiness and operational requirements have increased. Units are expected to do more with less, creating serious problems for resource managers and trainers. Nowhere has this been more acutely felt than in armored combat units--Active and Reserve Component armored forces have an urgent need for realistic and efficient sub-caliber live-fire tank gunnery training for tank and armored vehicle crews to augment full caliber tank gunnery training and qualification. Trainers must have the ability to assess tank crews' weaknesses and provide viable training courses of action to correct those weaknesses. There is a solution: the advanced inbore marksmanship training enhancement system for tanks (AIMTEST).

The AIMTEST .50-caliber tank inbore subcaliber device was developed in the mid 1980s by a team of tank noncommissioned officers (NCOs) at the National Guard High Technology Center, Fort Dix, New Jersey. Since the introduction of this device, over 600 .50-caliber tank inbore devices have been purchased by the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army National Guard, NATO, and various allied armies.

There are many computerized gunnery simulators in use by the military today that provide a valuable piece of the training puzzle; however, no one would fly with a pilot or take an armored vehicle crew to war that has trained only with simulators. AIMTEST bridges the gap between live-fire and gunnery simulators. When a tank crew is on the range firing live bullets, this increases the crew's combat mentality and situational awareness. With AIMTEST, there is no compromise in training standards for the crew. All functions performed during normal operational use of the tank must be performed with AIMTEST. This reinforces realistic training standards and does not teach bad habits.

The main gun's normal firing circuit operates the firing mechanism of AIMTEST and all main gun safeties are operational. In addition, the range surface danger zone (SDZ) is reduced to 6,700 meters or less. Noise is reduced to the small-arms level due to the "muffling" effect of the main gun tube. As a result, the crew is subjected to very low sound pressure levels. Both the range safety fans and noise levels are important in many countries due to restrictions near populated areas.

AIMTEST devices are available for all standard 105mm and 120mm main tank guns. AIMTEST can also be adapted to any vehicle cannon and can duplicate the ballistics of several types of standard cannon ammunition in calibers from 73mm to 120mm through the substitution of easily available .50-caliber ammunition types. The trajectory of .50-caliber M20 armor-piercing incendiary tracer (APIT) is an excellent match for 90 to 120mm cannons out to 1,500 meters (tracer burnout), and is easily sufficient to exercise tank crews with standard half-scale or full-scale targets. A range out to 2,000 meters (tracer burnout) is achieved through using .50-caliber M962 saboted light armor penetrator tracer (SLAPT) ammunition.

AIMTEST is the only U.S. manufactured inbore device that is safety certified by Aberdeen Proving Grounds (APG), Maryland. The U.S. Army has tested the AIMTEST .50-caliber subcaliber gunnery devices on four separate occasions. In 1987, APG issued the first safety release for inbore use to the U.S. Army. In 1997, APG conducted a comprehensive test on the AIMTEST in both the 105mm and the 120mm models. In 2001, APG conducted tests to ensure AIMTEST will fire M962 SLAPT .50-caliber ammunition without causing damage to the AIMTEST device or to the tank cannon. In 2002, the AIMTEST was again tested, this time as a 90mm MK8 inbore for the Saudi Arabian National Guard. All tests were successful and APG issued safety releases to the armor community. AIMTEST has been tested against inbore devices sold by other countries, and has won every competition conducted by foreign armies. AIMTEST consistently proves to be more accurate, easier to install, operate, and maintain than any other device.

AIMTEST is ready for live-fire operations in less than 10 minutes. Due to the fact that the AIMTEST does not intrude on the fire control system, it is not likely to damage any systems components. A tank crew removes the device from its case, completes installation in the vehicle, and begins firing; no other vehicle modifications are required. Once the vehicle crew zeroes the AIMTEST and records the zero data, the crew can continuously install and remove the inbore device to fire main gun ammunition then return to inbore firing without re-zeroing the AIMTEST.

Many units today are deploying and redeploying. Even during a deployment, training continues, and AIMTEST should be on every unit's deployment checklist. It can easily be deployed in the unit supply conex. AIMTEST can be used to keep the tank crew's gunnery skills sharp without wasting transport space that can be best used for other equipment. When the unit arrives at the deployment site, AIMTEST can be transported in a high-mobility, multipurpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV) from the unit's supply location to its training site. Up to eight AIMTEST devices, along with ammo, can be transported in a HMMWV.

Today's deployed forces need every device available to sustain their skills. The AIMTEST allows units to maintain combat proficiency across the training spectrum while deployed in austere environments. AIMTEST does not replace main gun firing, but definitely enhances the training base.

COPYRIGHT 2005 U.S. Army Armor Center
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group