face Fleet contract area. He outlined the LCS Mission Bay Trainer contract as a "big deal', as well as the LCS Contractor Operations and Maintenance Services and LCS Virtual Ship Training Systems contracts. Brian Hicks, Director of Cross Warfare Programs, reported that his division is gaining new customers and more contract opportunities and stated that the Department of Homeland Security is a part of this growing market as is medical simulation and training. There is a focus on incorporating new and emerging technologies, particularly in the area of intelligent tutors. This technology is a "big imperative" across all of the Navy that has "very high-level attention," Hicks emphasized. For example, he cited the Intelligent Tutoring Authoring and Delivery System II contract, which will provide support for all Navy B and C schools.
NAWCTSD announced contracts for both the MH-60 helicopter and Littoral Combat Ship programs. Image credit: Aaron Burden/ U.S. Navy.
Air Force Training Product Group While the Navy only alluded to the impact of tight budgets and sequestration, the Air Force demonstrated the impact. The representatives of the Air Force Training and Simulation Product Group (TSPG) based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio had their travel budget cancelled and could only attend the Orlando TSIS virtually. The Group's separate annual TSIS held in Dayton and scheduled for May had also been scrubbed. "One of our major challenges is that we are faced with is a diminishing dollar for training solutions," said TSPG Deputy Chief Edward Stanhouse. "In response, we are maximizing competition for our contracts and increasing opportunities for small businesses. We absolutely have to have those training hours." The biggest news from the Air Force is that the service is "very close" to announcing the RFP for the $20.9 billion five-year renewable Training Systems Acquisition III (TSA III) omnibus contract, with that action thought to be taking place "this Fall." Eight other substantial contracts that will be awarded "over the next few years" were also announced at the event. Army PEOSTRI According to James Blake, Program
Executive Officer for the Army's Simulation, Training and Simulation (PEOSTRI) organization, civilian employee sequestration and beyond will have a significant impact on the agency's procurement activities, resulting in the organization operating at 60 percent capacity during the third quarter of this year. As a result, all contract milestones can be expected to "move to the right" during this time. "This is a fiscal environment like one we have never seen before� he emphasized. Regardless of that caveat, the PEO still projects that fiscal year 2013 contract obligations will reach $2.25 billion, according to PEOSTRI's Acquisition Center Director Joe Giunta. The FY 2012 total was $2.36 billion, he added. Guinta also stated that planning for the re-issue of the $270 million Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) contract which will expire in August 2014 is in the works, while the draft RFP for the estimated $5 billion multiple award Train, Educate and Coach (TEACH) contract is now planned for issue in the first quarter of FY 2014. Several other PEOSTRI contract areas and areas of further opportunity were highlighted during the 2013 TSIS. Col. Wayne Epps, Project Manager for Constructive Simulation, said that a primary area of concentration will be the Live, Virtual and Constructive Training Environment, with a particular focus for the increasing need for Home Station training. Col. Harry Buhl, Project Manager for Combined Arms Tactical Trainers (PM CATT), said that there would be "a tremendous growth" in the area of medical training systems. One of the opportunities will be in supporting the Air Force Medical Modeling System, while PEOSTRI will continue to grow its strategic partnership to provide training solutions for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Buhl explained. Col. Mike Flanagan, Project Manager for Training Devices (PM TRADE), said that the Army will be providing more training systems support for the Marine Corps, with "the USMC and the Army doing a lot more together." Another emphasis is being placed on the Service Orientated Architecture (SOA), a serviceshared platform that will be essential to the operation of mobile devices throughout the services, he added. Other areas of note include embedded training, the Mobile Instrumented training System, a new procurement contract for the One Tactical Engagement System (OneTESS) and a Tactical Vehicle Training system re-compete.
The European View Training system procurement in Europe is complex and we sketch the training opportunities in two contrasting countries: France and Austria. In France a well-structured and government-supported organisation has been set up to actively promote the nation’s Simulation & Training sector; progress in neutral Austria largely depends on the improvisation skills and personal initiatives of the acting staff at each level in the military organisation. France In the military sector, France boasts one of the most competitive industries certainly in Europe, and perhaps even worldwide. This strength is a consequence of the great deal of support it receives from the French government, which is reflected in a strong prefM S & T M A G A Z INE 3 / 4 . 2 0 1 3
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