Ternion

Success in the defense and military sectors is a constant balancing act, relying on strategic foresight and the agility to respond to ever-changing challenges. Survivability in tactical scenarios hinges on readiness and how well-equipped warfighters are to tackle every possible challenge. Here, custom military simulations are critical in preparing soldiers to face the unexpected with confidence.

Ternion, a creator of a custom simulation development framework, recognizes that military modeling and simulation (M&S) users have distinct and evolving needs.

As Brad Spearing, co-founder and president of Ternion, puts it, “Custom simulations aren’t just a preference but a necessity. The military needs custom simulations that are immersive, precise, adaptable and designed to replicate the complexities of modern warfare.”

Yet, building these custom simulations requires big-ticket investments and outdated software can quickly tip the scale toward inefficiency, obsolescence and wasted resources.

Ternion emphasizes that flexible, modular software frameworks are the way forward and has built its flagship product — FLAMES — to address these challenges.

Developed as a framework for custom simulations, FLAMES enables military and defense agencies to create user-friendly, accurate and reliable simulations in the most economical and time-effective way. It provides pre-built tools and functionalities, saving clients up to 75 percent of development time and costs.

Game Changer in the Industry

“We are essentially the Unreal Engine of the constructive simulation world. Rather than building a complex simulation from scratch, developers can use FLAMES,” says Spearing.

FLAMES cut down the work required to build a simulation, including writing the software — the most tedious job. It is an open and flexible framework that provides developers with complete control over their source code. The well-defined class hierarchy and development tools simplify the creation of specific software classes, reducing complexity and minimizing code requirements. FLAMES accelerates the simulation creation process and overall efficiency by eliminating unnecessary coding and streamlining essential development.

Its off-shelf offerings, such as a scenario editor, after-action review and scenario database for managing scenario data, lay the groundwork for developing simulations. In addition to its core simulation capabilities, it offers advanced features such as checkpoint restart functionality, improved analytical tools, and collaborative database editing features. FLAMES also integrates Unreal Engine to create cutting-edge 3D graphics for simulations. These tools, coupled with an integrated interface to Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS), High-Level Architecture (HLA), and support for CIGI compatible image generators, make FLAMES compatible with a wide range of training needs.

The company ensures that every aspect of the simulation lifecycle, from development to maintenance and debugging, is fully supported. As a result, FLAMES excelled in creating simulations for command, control, communications and intelligence (C4I) training, including the USAF C2WSPTT, NATO ITC and the US Marine Corps FLAMES Automated Simulation Trainer (FAST).

Echoes of Success

Building on this success, Ternion collaborated with Korea Aerospace Industries to develop a helicopter flight simulation using FLAMES and Unreal Engine, garnering worldwide recognition. This collaboration received significant attention at the Interservice/ Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference, further solidifying FLAMES reputation as a groundbreaking innovation.

Over the past three decades, Ternion has developed over fifty custom simulations used by aerospace, defense and transportation organizations around the world. The company is transforming the military simulation industry by spearheading the development process, providing unmatched speed, affordability, and customization.