As you may imagine, combat training of tanks is quite a destructive process. Tanks are extremely powerful and have devastating weapons that shred all kinds of targets to pieces. This means that they need to be used very carefully, which does not always reflect the actual combat situations. However, there are ways to make tank combat training a little bit more domesticated.
T-64BV training with laser tag equipment. Image credit: АрміяInform via Wikimedia (CC BY 4.0)
If you’re into active sports and maybe FPS video games, you know what laser tag is. It is a cleaner, more high-tech version of paintball or airsoft, which has no actual flying projectiles. It doesn’t have lasers either, really, since those would make the game much more dangerous.
Laser tag, which was conceived around 1979, involved infrared-emitting light guns and infrared-sensitive signalling devices. When such an IR gun is pointed at the IR sensor, a successful shot is registered. In other words, you can point the gun at your friend, pull the trigger and his signalling vest will light up showing that you got him. Of course, IR sensors can be put on all kinds of targets too.
The laser tag is clean, leaves no trash behind and no one gets hurt. In fact, any kind of contact is forbidden in official laser tag competitions. People get moving, adrenaline starts pumping and they actually do learn something about tactical movement and teamwork. You will not be surprised that laser tag was used for military training since its early days – in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the United States Army used a system like that for combat training.
And it is being used now too. Even in Ukraine, a country at war, laser tag equipment is being used to train infantry and even armoured units. Laser tag is particularly useful when the defenders of Ukraine are training to conduct coordinated actions with tanks and infantry.
ArmyInform quoted Colonel Oleksandr Danylyuk, acting head of the training department of the operational command “South” of the Ground Forces of Ukraine. He said: “In the process of training, the servicemen of the brigade worked out training and combat tasks using a modern combat simulation system, in particular, the laser tag two-way fire contact system.
In the future, it is planned to conduct battalion tactical exercises with combat firing of mechanized, tank, and artillery units using drone, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare systems.”
“Laser” (IR emitter) on the barrel of a T-64BV main battle tank. Image credit: АрміяInform via Wikimedia (CC BY 4.0)
The system is rather simple. They mount a simple IR emitter on the barrel of the tank (T-64BV in this case). It is wired into the crew compartment. Once they do their usual aiming procedure, they can simulate the firing of the gun and see if they were accurate or how quickly they could reach an accurate shot.
Laser tag cannot entirely replace firing live ammo. It is important for soldiers to get used to the noise and the force that are emitted during live firing exercises. However, in some cases, laser tag equipment is very useful and resourceful. It helps preserve hearing, saves ammo, reduces wear on the guns and doesn’t waste targets.
Written by Povilas M.
Sources: ArmyInform, Wikipedia