KUALA LUMPUR: From air force pilot simulations to coast guards rescue 'missions'. These are the things visitors can experience at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) and National Security (Natsec) Asia 2024.
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), which are among the exhibitors, for instance, is giving visitors a first-hand experience of manning their aircraft thanks to virtual reality equipment.
Its Fighter Interactive Trainer System (FITs) provided an opportunity for the public to experience the handling of a fighter aircraft.
Developed entirely by the RMAF, this mobile simulator - the first of its kind in Asia - was developed for training purposes of future pilots and engineers, and has garnered considerable attention by visitors.
One is able to experience taking off and landing a Hawk 208 fighter plane. The five-screen simulator first displays the runway at the RMAF Butterworth Air Base.
One would then be able to 'fly' through the Penang Bridge and perform multiple manouvres.
It comes equipped with a real cockpit configuration of the Hawk 208.
Air Warrant Officer I Azean Aliasan said the purpose of exhibiting the simulator is to allow visitors to experience flying a plane.
"It is able to perform all kinds of formations and it simulates a take off from our base in Butterworth. The cockpit is from a real aircraft and it was customed into the simulator.
"We want the public fo feel manning an aircraft. In the past, we only had one monitor but now it's been upgraded to five. We also have a multiplayer version where a co-pilot could sit in. However, for this exhibition, we only brought a single pilot version," she told the New Straits Times.
The simulator was developed as a project by the Innovative and Creative Group (KIK) members at the Fighter Simulator Centre (PSP) and it received many awards domestically.
Azean said the simulator has also been brought to previous exhibitions, including the Langkawi International Aerospace and Maritime Exhibition (LIMA), the Selangor Aerospace Exhibition (SAS), and the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) Lumut Open Day.
Meanwhile, over at the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) booth, visitors are able to experience being part of a search and rescue mission of a coast guard.
This is made possible through a virtual reality (VR) headset.
When one takes part in the simulation, he or she would be able to experience what it is like to be a member of the Special Task and Rescue team while 'saving' a hostage on a boat.
One could also experience 'saving' a drowning victim using a helicopter.
The last visual is of a fast-ropping task from a helicopter.
When met at the booth, MMEA corporate communications officer Zulhafiq Halim said the initiative is to explain the duties of MMEA at sea.
"Visitors who come to the booth want know more about the MMEA. They would ask what are our duties and how our duties differ from other agencies.
"So this is our initiative for them to know more about MMEA apart from just verbally explaining about it. They would be able to experience being a part of our team," said Zulhafiq, adding they received positive responses for the virtual reality headset.
He added that they saw about 1,000 visitors frequenting their booths daily.
The DSA and Natsec 2024 exhibitions run from Monday to Thursday at Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre.