Military Training Technology. Dr. James T. Blake. Program Executive Office PEO STRI. MT

PrOGram exeCUTIve OFFICe

FOr sImUlaTIOn, TraInInG anD InsTrUmenTaTIOn

Dr. James T.

Blake

Program

Executive

Officer

PEO STRI

PEO: Dr. James T. Blake

(SES)

DPEO: Rob Reyenga (SES)

PM CATT: Col. Francisco

Espaillat

PM ITTS: Col. Mike Zarbo PM TRADE:

Col. Mike Flanagan

PM ConSim: Col. Wayne Epps APEO Customer Support: Pete Marion Acquisition Center: Joe Giunta PM Field OPS: Russ McBride APEO Business Operations: Ken Wheeler

APEO Project Support: Traci Jones

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Top

Contracts

10

Instrumented Ranges/Digital Range Training Systems (IR/DRTS) Estimated Value:$450,000,000

Contractor:Lockheed Martin Corporation Urban Operations Training Systems (UOTS) Estimated Value:$287,000,000

Contractor:Lockheed Martin Corporation SE Core CVE Management

Estimated Value:$222,000,000

Contractor:Science Applications International Corporation I-MILES Individual Weapons System (IWS) 2010

Estimated Value: $221,000,000

Contractor: Cubic Simulation Systems Virtual Clearance Training Suite (VCTS) Estimated Value:$93,710,773 Contractor:FAAC Incorporated

Warfighter FOCUS Task Order Estimated Value:$78,276,254

Contractor:Raytheon Technical Services Company LLC Flight School XXI Task Order

Estimated Value:$72,454,014

Contractor:Computer Sciences Corporation Dismounted Soldier

Estimated Value:$58,114,749 Contractor:Intelligent Decisions Inc.

Multi-spectral Sea and Land Target Simulator (MSALTS) Estimated Value:$55,815,911

Contractor:Sparta Inc. OneSAF Production

Estimated Value:$55,007,227

Contractor:Science Applications International Corporation Program Executive Officer (SES)

Dr. James T. Blake 407-384-3502

Deputy Program Executive Officer (SES) Mr. Rob Reyenga

407-384-3505 Senior Enlisted Advisor Sgt. Maj. Pat Ogden 407-384-5340

Assistant Program Executive Officer for Business Operations

Mr. Ken Wheeler 407-384-3506

Assistant Program Executive Officer for Project Support Ms. Traci Jones

407-384-3770

Assistant Program Executive Officer for Customer Support Mr. Pete Marion

407-384-3799

Project Manager Combined Arms Tactical Trainers (PM CATT) Col. Francisco Espaillat

407-384-3600

Project Manager Constructive Simulation (PM ConSim) Col. Wayne Epps

407-384-3650

Program Manager Field Operations (PM Field OPS) Mr. Russ McBride

407-384-3690

Project Manager Instrumentation, Targets and Threat Simulators (PM ITTS)

Col. Mike Zarbo 407-384-5250

Project Manager Training Devices (PM TRADE)

Col. Mike Flanagan 407-384-5200

Director of the Acquisition Center/

Principal Assistant Responsible for Contracting (PARC) Mr. Joe Giunta

407-384-3688 Public Affairs Office 407-384-5224

Industry Customer Contact 407-384-3773

General Information 407-384-3500 www.peostri.army.mil

Even before organizations across the Army and Department of Defense were asked to “do more without more,” the U.S Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI) was realizing savings through a simple yet multifaceted concept: teamwork.

“As you know, the Army is a ‘we’ organization, not a ‘me’ organiza-tion. PEO STRI is one element of the Army team working to ensure our military is the best trained fighting force in the world,” said Dr. James Blake, the program executive officer for PEO STRI.

Working with other Army elements and with other military ser-vices toward a common goal has produced fiscal efficiencies through reduced manpower, elimination of duplicative efforts and subsequent lower costs, Blake said. Different approaches to teamwork yield differ-ent benefits, yet all can lead to high-quality products for warfighters at demonstrably lower costs than if the products had been undertaken by PEO STRI alone.

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PEO STRI’s egress assistance trainer programs are key examples. When PEO STRI received an Operational Needs Statement July 2006 to procure a training device to limit injuries sustained during vehicular rollovers, a joint effort was launched to rapidly develop the HMMWV Egress Assistance Trainer (HEAT), which instructs soldiers on how to safely get out of an overturned vehicle. Working with PEO Combat Support and Combat Service Support, engineering assistance from the Research, Development and Engineering Command’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center and man-ufacturing capability at Red River Army Depot, the HEAT was developed in five months and deployed around the globe, to include locations in the theaters of operation, by September 2007.

Using the same construct and design premise as the HEAT, PEO STRI soon after developed the MRAP Egress Assistance Trainer (MET) to teach soldiers how to properly exit a rolled-over MRAP vehicle.

“By adding the additional design capabilities of the eight differ-ent MRAP vehicle cabs to the already proven HEAT system, the team provided a training capability in nine short months from concept development to the first fielding location at Camp Buehring, Kuwait,” said Frank Schlemmer, project director for the HEAT and MET devices.

The HMMWV and MRAP egress trainers, both of which are Army solutions for Army problems, not only train soldiers, but warfighters from the other services that are getting ready to deploy to the combat zone.

“A U.S. Central Command message from April 17, 2010, requires all troops, civilians, contractors and foreign nationals that are required

to ride in an MRAP vehicle to go through the training drills on the MET,” Schlemmer noted. Back in November 2010, the trainers at Camp Buehring alone trained 100,000 servicemembers prior to their deploy-ment to Iraq. To date, each of the military services has the following number of MET devices: Army – 47, Air Force – 20, Marine Corps – 18, and Navy – 10, each training hundreds and thousands of combat-bound personnel worldwide.

“We know we are not in this alone. Just like our soldiers are work-ing hand in hand with their fellow Marines, sailors and airmen in Iraq and Afghanistan, we in the simulation and training community— military, contractors and academia alike—are one force supporting the strongest armed forces in the world,” Blake commented.

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Much like PEO STRI’s teaming with other Army groups, the organization also partners with those in the modeling and simulation industry to ensure our warfighters are receiving the best possible train-ing, even in this era of budgetary constraints. Although government partnering with industry is not an efficiency in and of itself, it certainly proves to be a wise way to do business.

For instance, PEO STRI—in partnership with its industry part-ners—enhanced the Common Driver Trainer program to include the MRAP all terrain vehicle (M-ATV). With guidance from the Department of the Army and the expertise from industry, PEO STRI was able to field M-ATV driver trainers quickly and affordably. The M-ATV variant for the Common Driver Trainer allows soldiers to drive these vehicles before they get to Afghanistan and under a number of hazardous driving con-ditions like narrow roadways and inclement weather.

“The M-ATV Common Driver Trainer was tasked to PEO STRI June 26, 2009, and we fielded the first system November 19, 2009,” said Major Cassandra Forrester, the project director, noting a mere 147 day turnaround from receiving the requirement to getting the trainer into the hands of the warfighter.

PEO STRI looks at the Common Driver Trainer program as a prime example of efficiency. This family of simulators has stepped up to the plate time and time again to meet the training requirements of our Army. Using common components, the simulator can be transformed to train soldiers to drive everything from a Stryker to a tank to an MRAP.

“The cost avoidance yielded by using the existing Common Driver Trainer design is valued at approximately $24.3 million,” Forrester advised.

Additionally, PEO STRI recently integrated the geo-specific terrain database for Afghanistan into the Common Driver Trainer program. Because of these efforts, soldiers can virtually drive on the actual streets

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By kRiSTen A. mCCullOugh, u.S. ARmy peO STRi

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imagine, the imagery significantly adds to the fidelity of the training, and the technology reuse undeniably decreases the expense of the realism.

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The ease with which PEO STRI teams with other organizations can often be attributed to its location in Central Florida, known to many as the mecca for military modeling and simulation. As part of “Team Orlando,” PEO STRI sits alongside all of the military services’ primary simulation and training providers, academic institutions that focus on simulation and industry partners that provide expertise to the military and universities.

This collaborative spirit dates back to 1950 when the Army and Navy simulation components signed an agreement to work in partner-ship on training and simulation systems that train our servicemembers. The signing of the document launched a lasting training partnership that recently reached its 60-year anniversary and is the longest known standing agreement between any of the U.S. military services.

The strong relationship between the services continues to yield fis-cal efficiencies. For example, PEO STRI signed an agreement with the Marine Corps’ Program Manager for Training Systems to work together on live training systems. When the Marine Corps saw that nearly 80 percent of their requirements were already being met by the Army through the Homestation Instrumentation Training System program, they piggybacked on the Army to get the training into the hands of Marines more quickly and save program dollars.

“The Marine Corps’ estimated cost and schedule for building a new alternative system would be approximately $19 million and nine years,” said Michael Dillon, the PEO STRI project director for the effort. The Marine Corps’ actual cost of leveraging the Army’s 80 percent solution was $8 million and the actual time spent from concept development to fielding was two years. Because of the time and money saved, the Marine Corps reimbursed the Army $300,000.

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Collaboration also provides interagency efficiencies. The Depart-ment of Homeland Security (DHS) uses PEO STRI’s Intelligence Electronic Warfare Tactical Proficiency Trainer to help law enforcement students with their interviewing skills. The technology reuse reduces the cost of creating a new but similar technology, and the high expense of hiring instructors and role players.

“DHS realized cost benefits by reducing the number of instructor hours because the system is made available to students in a self-operated mode for after-hour use,” said Rick Jimenez, the system’s lead engineer. “Students practice basic interviewing skills in a virtual environment, which prepares the student for a more productive engagement in front of live role players, thereby reducing the number of role-player hours required for training.”

Due to the savings yielded from the acquisition approach of leverag-ing an existleverag-ing contract and trainleverag-ing capabilities, PEO STRI and DHS were able to apply those resources to scenario and content generation for the system.

Although partnership and teamwork does have its challenges—like the time it takes to spend coordinating efforts, the concern about control and each party upholding their end of the bargain—PEO STRI senior leaders and program managers alike agree that the rewards greatly outweigh the trials.

“When meeting the demands of our uniformed servicemembers, we see an immense value in collaborating, coordinating and cooperat-ing with the joint community, our industry partners and academia,” Blake concluded. “Shared education and experience fosters expertise, and we use that expertise to provide efficiencies in the products and services we provide to our customers.” O

Kristen A. McCullough is the U.S. Army PEO STRI public affairs officer. She holds a B.S. in print journalism and political science from the University of Miami and an M.S. in political science from the Uni-versity of Central Florida.

For more information, contact MT2 Editor Brian O’Shea at [email protected] or search our online archives

Dr. James T. Blake

PEO

PEO STRI

Q: What is PEO STRI’s strategy to maximize resources with budget cuts looming in order to continue to provide soldiers with the decisive edge in training?

A: The Army has a responsibility to its soldiers, most who’ve served multiple tours in combat, to maintain the high operational tempo in training that they have come to expect in their current environment. One of the primary ways the simulation and training community is achieving high-intensity training during this time of budgetary con-straints is using common components to not only enhance training for soldiers, but also help warfighters across the other services.

Q: How does PEO STRI use common components for training devices?

A: We use common components within and across domains to improve interoperability and save money. In the live domain for example, we have Live Training Transformation [LT2]. The product line provides state-of-the-art training systems to the warfighter by using common reusable software components, architectural infrastructure, interfaces, standards, processes and assets. By making the product line a “one size fits all” in commonality and reusability, it has proven to significantly reduce costs for the Army and other military services. In fact, it has generated an estimated $350 million in cost avoidance for the Army.

Q: What other military services have benefited from LT2?

A: The Marine Corps realized significant savings using the LT2 product line when developing its Instrumented Training System. Using 87 percent of LT2’s product line software, the Corps not only saved $11 million in development and acquisition costs, but also completed the project seven years sooner than originally planned.

Additionally, when the Air Force looked at developing a Counter Improvised Explosive Device After Action Review System, they turned to the Army’s LT2 product line. With little development investment, they were able to quickly field seven training systems to meet their IED training needs to support deploying personnel at four bases.

The LT2 product line has been used by more than 16 major Army and DoD live training programs, with more than 130 systems fielded.

Q: How is PEO STRI addressing the increase in demand on the homestation training enablers at each installation?

A: Together with our TRADOC counterparts, we’re leading the way for the Army’s homestation training campaign as we’re set to unveil the first blended training environment to Fort Hood, Texas, this summer.

With the Live, Virtual and Constructive-Integrating Architecture [LVC-IA] capability, commanders will have a toolkit of live, virtual,

constructive and game-based training devices that they can use to build tailored or unique training scenarios. We are working in concert with a veteran-owned small business to make LVC-IA a reality for our Army.

Q: How does new simulation gear make force-on-force training on posts as realistic as running operations at Maneuver Combat Training Centers [CTCs]?

A: The Homestation Instrumentation Training System [HITS] supports a commander’s ability to prepare his or her battle staffs for force-on-force engagements.

HITS, a data collection system for live training—coupled with other virtual and constructive simulators—comprises the blended training environment, which will provide the Army a more resource-efficient training capability and offer soldiers more realistic training and mission rehearsal events.

This training at homestation is intended to enable a unit to hone its skills before going to the CTCs and to retain their fighting prowess after they return from theater.

Q: How does PEO STRI train warfighters to deal with cultural dif-ferences when deployed to regions where cultural norms vary greatly from here at home?

A: There are a number of techniques used to address cultural differ-ences. For example under the Army Games for Training program, we

Operations Trainer

Maintaining High Operational Tempo

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Customers around the world rely on Cubic to deliver advanced systems for

high-fi delity training, tacti cal communicati ons, global asset tracking, and cross-domain

cyber security soluti ons. Cubic provides customers the technology, products and

support needed to fi ght, win and return.

field a bilateral negotiation trainer, called BiLAT. It’s a 3-D simulation designed to provide an immersive training environment for soldiers to practice skills in conducting meetings and negotiations in a specific cultural context. Students virtually assume the role of a U.S. Army officer to conduct a series of bilateral meetings with local leaders to achieve mission objectives.

We’re partnered with a number of organizations—namely, the University of California’s Institute for Creative Technologies, U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences, U.S. Army Research Laboratory Human Research and Engineering Directorate and U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command’s Simulation and Training Technology Center—to get this training into the hands of warfighters.

Q: How does PEO STRI prepare soldiers for the cultural differences they will face, specifically during urban operations?

A: Together with our industry partner, we’re fielding an updated Human Intelligence Control Cell (HCC) simulator to assist intelligence gatherers get the best training possible. Because of this instruction, human intelligence and counterintelligence soldiers are able to refine their skills in tactical questioning, source operations, interrogations, screenings and the use of an interpreter. Trainees are placed in an immersive environment that replicates the culture, language, scenario context and lifelike interactions typical of an intelligence mission.

Currently, HCC is offered in English, Standard Arabic, Korean, Spanish, French and Portuguese, with Pashtu and Dari planned for future language development. We work closely with the Intelligence Center of Excellence in Fort Huachuca, Ariz., to determine any future language needs.

Q: How important is PEO STRI’s relationship with industry? A: Although for many years we, PEO STRI, were trying everything in our power to expedite contract awards while adhering to better buying power principles, we have a responsibility to meet DoD’s new require-ments put forth for the acquisition community.

Now, we’re taking a hard look at the types of contracts we award, pushing toward incentive contracts, favoring fixed-price contracts, and examining contract award periods. We regularly communicate with our industry partners so they are aware of contracting activity, any emerging contract delays and the reasons for the delays.

At the end of the day, we—government and industry, together— are still one team doing our very best to support the soldier.

Q: What is the biggest challenge in working with industry to acquire products vital to training U.S. forces?

A: Even in this era of budgetary constraints and increased oversight, our primary objective is to ensure responsiveness. One new way we plan to maintain a high level of responsiveness is through awarding a multiple-award IDIQ contract for services.

Q: What’s PEO STRI’s relationship with the small-business sector of its industry base?

A: In accordance with the Army’s standard and expectations, we review all of our acquisitions for small business opportunities with an eye on limiting the vendor base as appropriate.

In fiscal year 2011, we awarded $309 million to small businesses, and it’s our goal to create an upward momentum for these companies in the coming years.

Q: How does PEO STRI support small businesses?

A: The Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) within PEO STRI advocates for small business enterprises. In meeting PEO STRI’s contracting mission, the office implements strategies that provide the maximum procurement opportunities to small businesses.

OSBP maintains a portal on our website completely dedicated to “doing business with PEO STRI.” Small companies interested in com-peting for awards should consider using the tools provided at this site.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to say that I have not asked?

A: There’s an intense focus on training at the squad level right now. We expect to see an increased emphasis over the next year to provide high-fidelity complex training environments for the individual soldier, who’s bearing the brunt of the load in combat. We’re just on the brink of addressing those needs with the Dismounted Soldier Training Sys-tem. We expect to begin fielding this year.

Mission First. People Always. Army Strong! O

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