IMDEX 2023: Rheinmetall unveils ‘Total Ship Trainer'

The configuration of Rheinmetall's ‘Total Ship Trainer' features simulators including full-mission bridges, part-task bridges, engineering rooms, damage control trainers, and ship-handling systems. (Rheinmetall)

Rheinmetall unveiled its ‘Total Ship Trainer', a networked and integrated training solution, at the IMDEX 2023 naval exhibition held in Changi, Singapore, from 3 to 5 May.

According to Rheinmetall, the ship trainer will enable navies to conduct realistic, land-based, and simulated training for an entire warship crew, in part or together, at one centre.

The company said that it is contracted to deliver the system to the Royal Thai Navy (RTN). Under the deal awarded in 2021, Rheinmetall is building the trainer system – to be named the Naval Mission Training Center (NMTC) – at the RTN's naval base in Sattahip.

Rheinmetall told Janes that the NMTC is expected to be commissioned in six months. The company has said that RTN instructors underwent training on the new system in Germany between October 2022 and January 2023.

Rheinmetall said the system includes 20 simulators configured for ‘full-mission' and ‘part-task' training sessions. It is also equipped with four classroom trainers and related briefing equipment.

The company said a feature of the NMTC is the ability to combine individual simulators for ‘total ship training'. This will be achieved through several simulators – for instance, for the ‘bridge', the ‘engine room', and the ‘operations centre' – to interact with each other.