Expanding emulation from test to create realistic virtual training environments

A plurality of emulated systems is used to create a realistic virtual training environment. Retaining an open architecture allows emulator components to be swapped with physical hardware to create a more expansive variety of virtual training and test environments, as well as to abstract the user from the underlying hardware emulation. This allows for the creation of a low cost training environment that can easily and inexpensively be duplicated at many training locations. An example of emulation developed for test but later adapted and expanded for training is presented. High-fidelity emulators of individual line replaceable units are combined to form larger emulated systems, which comprise a suite of training products. An open architecture allows for a subset of these training products to communicate and operate with one another within a virtual training environment. The training products presented range from those operated on a personal computer with no product-representative hardware to full-scale simulators in which the end-user is almost completely abstracted from the underlying hardware emulation, thus providing a realistic, low cost, and effective training experience.