Army seeks 'synthetic training environment'
Plan would combine current live, virtual, constructive and gaming training environments into one common environment.
The Army plans to create a unified virtual training architecture that would allow soldiers to practice realistic operations anywhere and anytime and improve training management across the Army environment, according to draft details released May 1.
The Synthetic Training Environment (STE) will combine current live, virtual, constructive and gaming training environments into one common environment, making it easier for the Army to manage collective training across land, air, maritime, space and cyber domains. The cloud-based solution will help "overcome the challenges of multiple terrain databases, and reduce costly hardware at fixed sites," officials said in a draft statement of need.
Current Army simulated training environments “lack the ability to conduct realistic, multi-echelon, collective training, seamlessly from Soldier/Squad to [Army Service Component Command] echelons, anywhere in the world.” The current systems also require significant training and planning to use, the draft document explained.
STE, however, would be available throughout the Army via the Department of Defense Information Network. The modular, scalable design would facilitate maintenance and modernization capabilities. The Army is looking for non-proprietary, open interfaces as well as and data models that foster interoperability among internal components and external services.
The STE team is holding an industry day on May 8 in Austin, Texas
Read the full draft here.