Soldiers test prototype trainers for US Army

Members of the U.S.. Army's Synthetic Training EnvironmentCross Functional Team, working with industry partners, will provide Armyaviators an opportunity to test prototype helicopter trainers and offer theircomments during a user assessment from April 8-12 on Fort Carson, Colorado.

The soldiers will assess prototypes of the ReconfigurableVirtual Collective Trainer-Air (RVCT-A), a modern virtual training capabilityrepresenting the Army's range of aviation platforms. When fielded, it willallow formations to conduct collective training from squad through brigadelevel.

"This user assessment is about getting the technologyinto the hands of soldiers early and often to capture their feedback so we canbetter refine the requirement," said Maj. Gen. Maria Gervais, director ofthe Synthetic Training Environment Cross Functional Team. "Our industrypartners, simulations experts, engineers and testers will be there with us sowe can collaboratively refine requirements and develop solutions in aniterative way and streamline the acquisition process."

The Army conducts assessments as part of a more flexibleacquisition approach made possible under Title X Other Transaction Authority tocarry out certain prototype, research and production projects. Working throughOTA contracts enables the Defense Department to develop capabilities morerapidly and determine earlier in the process what capabilities meet soldiers'needs.

The RVCT-A, when integrated with other trainers, softwareand interface tools, will comprise the Synthetic Training Environment. The STEwill better replicate the operational environment, enable multi-domain trainingfrom squad to Army Service Component Command level, and be delivered wherevertraining needs to occur.