Directed-Fidelity® is Thales’s new way to plan and deliver targeted training solutions. It is a logical, optimised approach to identifying customers’ training requirements. By blending technologies, processes, products and customer feedback Thales creates targeted training solutions that will maximise their capability, achieve cost savings, and enable customers to operate smarter, more safely and with greater impact.
Through collaboration with customers across the full spectrum of defence capability and around the globe, Thales has identified five key drivers that customers see as the most relevant to their training needs:
- Enhancing operational capability
- Delivering cost-efficient solutions
- Meeting environmental requirements
- Integrating best-of-breed technologies
- Understanding complex cultural factors
How does Directed-Fidelity® work?
Directed-Fidelity® is based on an end-to-end analysis of customers’ training needs. We listen to and work in a collaborative partnership with customers to understand their key requirements. Once the training output has been defined and agreed, Thales works on the design, creation and delivery of a comprehensive training solution that meets the priorities of the customer and the needs of the end users. Totally flexible in concept, this will blend the best mix of live and synthetic training to ensure that individuals, teams, or whole organisations and command structures are optimally trained to carry out their missions.
Based on a thorough evaluation of the options and trade-offs of different approaches, Directed-Fidelity® takes into account limitations imposed by economic, operational and other factors.
Through financial modelling, upfront procurement savings and reduced through-life costs are clearly defined. It also optimises resources needed to deliver the solution in terms of equipment, people, infrastructure and facilities, with no compromise on the quality, safety or effectiveness of the training.
How is Directed-Fidelity® different?
Directed-Fidelity® is not about simulators and synthetic devices. It is about creating a mix of the most appropriate elements in such a way as to give optimal weight to our customers’ key requirements.
Thales’s approach is to work with customers, to understand their business, their culture and their issues, and against this, use our Directed-Fidelity® approach to identify areas where we can add value through a partnering relationship.
Directed-Fidelity® is a systematic approach that flexes to accommodate customers’ key priorities, helping to shape the training delivery.
Directed-Fidelity® case studies
Please visit the Directed-Fidelity® web pages for the full details of these, and more, case studies.
Chinook Mk4 flat panel trainer
The recent Chinook Mk4 helicopter refurbishment programme resulted in a cockpit that was part digital and part analogue instruments. The initial request was for a low-fidelity cockpit procedural trainer using simple PCs. By using Directed-Fidelity® analysis we were able to show that for a modest additional outlay could the customer could get far more training value, and therefore value for money, from a portable flat panel trainer.
ASLAV trainers
The Australian Light Armoured Vehicle (ASLAV) desktop trainer was developed to provide cost effective, realistic gunnery and procedural training for ASLAV crews, including gunner, commander and driver.
Air Force Aviation College
The initial contact with the customer requested the supply of full-flight simulators for combat, transport and helicopter aircraft platforms for their new Aviation College. Rather than just supply a simulator, Thales offered to carry out a detailed training needs analysis using Directed- Fidelity® principles, including analysis of the college building design related to present and future training needs.
About Thales and Thales UK
Thales is a global technology leader for the defence & security and the aerospace & transport markets. In 2011 the company generated revenues of £11.4 bn (€13 bn), with 67,000 employees in 56 countries. With its 22,500 engineers and researchers, Thales has a unique capability to design, develop and deploy equipment, systems and services that meet the most complex security requirements. Thales has an exceptional international footprint, with operations around the world working with customers as local partners.
Thales UK employs 8,000 staff based at 35 locations. In 2011 Thales UK’s revenues were around £1.4 bn.