This is a scientific initiative with high practical application value, meeting the goals and requirements of education and training, especially for students training in Naval Information Command and Staff.

Necessity is the mother of invention

In the context of a lack of real equipment for training, the use of visual models and simulation software in training to help students access and grasp practical knowledge is the right and effective direction. Especially in the current period, the Information Officer School is actively promoting digital transformation activities in education and training and strongly applying information technology in the process of innovating teaching methods, meeting output standards. Therefore, the research and application of training software for exploiting VSAT stations on military ships will contribute to solving the difficult situation due to the lack of training equipment, contributing to improving the quality of education and training of the School, meeting the motto "The quality of training of the school is the combat readiness of the unit".

Colonel, Dr. Do Van Phuong, Head of the Transmission Department, Faculty of Telecommunications, introduced the training software for operating VSAT stations on military ships to students.

Talking with Colonel, Dr. Do Van Phuong, Head of the initiative, we learned that the VSAT station on ships is a device deployed and exploited to ensure communication for units in the Navy, the Coast Guard Command and some units operating at sea. Training soldiers to grasp the characteristics, technical features and skillfully exploit the VSAT station on military ships to ensure communication in all situations is an extremely important task. This is also a content of the subject "Transmission equipment, microwaves, satellites" in the training program for Information Command and Staff Officers. Especially training Information Command and Staff Officers at the specialized Naval Information platoon level.

In reality, the number of VSAT stations on ships serving the training of the Information Officer School has not met the training needs, while the number of students is large, the time for training on real equipment is not much. Based on the above reasons, the group of authors chose to implement the initiative "Software to simulate training on VSAT station exploitation on military ships" to serve training as an optimal solution, contributing positively to the innovation of teaching methods and the implementation of digital transformation tasks, building smart schools, meeting the requirements of tasks in the new situation.

Image of VSAT station training software interface on military ships.

The scientific basis of the initiative "Software for simulating VSAT station exploitation training on military ships" is: Researching the characteristics, technical features; structure and functions of VSAT stations on military ships; the process of deploying, installing and exploiting VSAT stations on ships to ensure communication and other services, meeting mission requirements as well as using data and image processing tools and Visual Studio C# programming language to implement the idea.

High applicability and wide application

According to the author, with a structure of 6 modules. Module 1: Technical features and characteristics; module 2: Structure and operating principles; module 3: Exploitation and use; module 4: Preservation and handling of some station incidents; module 5: Testing and evaluation; module 6: Reference documents, it will be very convenient for learners to self-study and learn the content with just one click on the corresponding function tab in the software interface...

The software can be installed on computers in specialized lecture halls and units to serve practical training, as well as self-study of students. This is also an activity of applying information technology to teaching and supporting the process of innovation in teaching methods of lecturers, contributing to improving the quality of practical training of telecommunications equipment, meeting the output standards of modules and subjects and implementing digital transformation applications in education and training, building smart schools today.

Colonel, Dr. Do Van Phuong guides students in exploiting VSAT station exploitation training software on military ships.

In particular, the main interface shows a 3D image of the VSAT station on a military ship, allowing users to observe the entire VSAT station when installed on a ship, which increases the visualization, helping learners observe and learn the steps of deployment and installation of station components through 3D technology images and videos as well as practice setting configuration parameters for station components as on real equipment, thereby helping learners no longer be confused when approaching the VSAT station equipment on ships in reality. Thereby training thinking ability, reflexes, practical skills in exploiting equipment, improving the quality of education and training...

Colonel, Dr. Tran Dinh Tan, Head of the Faculty of Telecommunications, School of Information Officers, said: “The initiative has successfully completed the proposed contents and tasks; the product is scientific, ensuring high professional and pedagogical requirements, meeting the training goals and requirements of the trainees, especially the trainees training in Command and Staff Officers of the Naval Information major; the initiative has closely followed the output standards of the course and the requirements for innovative teaching methods, contributing to improving the quality of training at the faculty and the School. The product can be installed and used simply, conveniently for training at the School of Information Officers and information units throughout the army”.

Article and photos: MAI DONG - TUAN ANH