Loughborough College students faced the demands of a real time mission when an RAF operation simulator put them on high alert.
The clock was ticking as more than 60 Public Services students were given an insight into the demands of executing a major humanitarian operation with elements including weapons, intelligence and logistics.
“There was a crucial role for each student in preparing the mission and the pressure was certainly on.
“All kinds of issues were being thrown at them - mechanical defects, changes in weather, no landing strip, equipment chosen being too large for the plane, satellite and in-flight fuelling issues – so although it was a table top exercise everyone was totally immersed. If they made a mistake, everything went backwards and put the whole operation in jeopardy,” said Tim Turner, lead for Public Services at Loughborough College.
“Every student was determined they would deliver the aid and the mission would be a success.
“This is an excellent training tool for all our students, not only the ones hoping to join the RAF.
“Not everyone in the RAF is Aircrew and this showed the students the host of other roles vital to carrying out an operation like this – and introduced them to the mindset and range of skills they will need for all the forces.”