WIESBADEN, Germany — A homemade simulator, a high-altitude balloon and a new task organization came together in mid-April at Chimera Sunrise, a virtual sensor-to-shooter exercise that pushed the boundaries of multi-domain operations inside the 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force, 56th Artillery Command’s Innovation Lab.
The event served as a key rehearsal for the Effects Operations Center and the emerging Multi-Domain Company Teams, both of which will be validated in real-world conditions during Exercise Arcane Thunder in Poland and Arizona in May 2025.
At the heart of Chimera Sunrise was a simulator built by Sgt. 1st Class Tyler Baumgartner using a commercially available video game platform. By modifying the game to include a custom-built virtual space, Sgt. 1st Class Baumgartner created a cost-effective training environment that mimics a real-world battlefield. The entire simulator was assembled for less than $30.
In the exercise, virtual emitters representing real-world systems like surface-to-air missile launchers or radars were placed into the digital environment. Simulated high-altitude balloons and drones, equipped with virtual sensors, detected those emitters and relayed coordinates.
A drone operator used a real flight controller to navigate the virtual drone through the video game interface, guided by the electronic warfare platoon leader providing “hot or cold” directional adjustments. Once close enough to the emitter, the drone gathered refined, targetable information.
That data was passed to the all-domain operations center for mensuration and final validation, before being sent to the 56th Artillery Command to assign a shooter completing the virtual kill chain from sensor to shooter.
“This is about more than just simulation it’s about solving real-world training gaps with grassroots innovation,” said Sgt. 1st Class Baumgartner. “We’re practicing the decision-making and coordination required in a real fight, but in a virtual space where we can iterate without limits.”
In Poland and Arizona, Soldiers will perform the same mission with real HABs, physical drones and live emitters. But thanks to exercises like Chimera Sunrise, they’ll go into that environment with experience and confidence built through repeated, realistic practice.
“This kind of low-cost, high-impact innovation is exactly what we need,” said Lt. Col. Aaron Ritzema. “We’re not just preparing for the future fight — we’re building the tools and teams that will win it.”
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