VAPS XT 3.1 and later versions integrate with the SoftMap digital map software for the creation of applications with navigation maps directly in VAPS XT. SoftMap® is a product of General Dynamics UK, used in generating platform independent software solutions for the display of multi-layered digital map, navigation, and terrain displays, as well as full tactical situation awareness systems.  VAPS XT uses a new Digital Map object to manage placement of the digital map within an application. The Digital Map object is a container object which can contain Map, Intervisibility, Height-above-terrain (HAT), grid layers, two new Line Of Sight (LoS) layers, and VAPS XT overlays.  An evaluation version of SoftMap is now provided with all versions of VAPS XT.

To request a license for the SoftMap product or to receive support for SoftMap, please contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Watch theVAPS XT/SoftMap web seminar

Key benefits

• The VAPS XT / SoftMap solution provides users with the flexibility to develop their own digital map applications and overlays using a singular workflow. Create both the overlays and map in a single tool - as opposed to developing the mapping application in one software and the overlays in another and needing to merge them together at the end with custom code.
• Code-generated executables are not restricted to a specific hardware platform and can be deployed to many different platforms using a porting layer.
• Changes and updates can be made to the map application anytime during the development process.
• As with all VAPS XT applications, the user has complete control over the look and feel of the symbology overlays and flexibility in the creation of objects.
  

VAPS XT / SoftMap Key Features

Intervisibility

When planning the route or mission, known threats such as military bases, hostile troop positions, or gun emplacements can be displayed on the map as an area of threat. Entering threat data such as location, size, elevation, and using matrix terrain data (DTED) the threat and threat intervisibility can be calculated and displayed. The resulting threat intervisibility shading displayed is the capability of both the threat and the present position to detect or be visible to each other. Using this information a route could be planned such that there is no threat intervisibility and therefore no threat using the route.

HAT

Height Above Terrain shades areas of terrain in the SoftMap display that are above a given height. This is displayed as shaded regions in the display. The banding can be solid or translucent where underlying map layers are visible through the HAT shading.

Grid Layers

SoftMap can overlay range rings, distance grids, and a tactical grid over the merged map layers. Range rings are concentric circles indicating a range from the currently active point on the graph (i.e. centered on the your aircraft). The tactical grid is a distance fixed grid relative to the current center of the map. The distance grid is a grid fixed relative to the current active map display center with tick marks between grid lines to indicate minor grid lines at 1/10 intervals between major grids.

Line of Sight Layers

The Line of Sight layers are used to check Line of Sight in two ways: Point-to-Point, and Point-to-Direction; where the line of sight is an unobstructed view between the two points. Point-to-Point is used to calculate if there is a line of sight between two given points. If a clear line of sight is not possible, the line changes to indicate where the line becomes obstructed. Point-to-Direction is used to calculate the end of the line of sight in a direction. If a clear line of sight is not possible, the line changes to indicate where the line becomes obstructed.

VAPS XT Overlays

A VAPS XT Overlay is a group that can contain VAPS XT elements - primitives, objects, etc.,-which can be placed over the map group. Overlays can be Rotating or Fixed. A Rotating overlay moves with the map-both in its rotation and in its position. A Fixed overlay moves with the map, but does not rotate.