By: Blake Johson
Fort Johnson recently hosted a significant event showcasing cutting-edge military training technology: the Live Training System Operational Demonstration. This demonstration served as a platform for military leaders and personnel to observe notable advancements in training resources, particularly those designed to simulate challenging terrains.
Driven by guidance from senior Army leaders, the operational demonstration aimed to highlight the potential of virtual and hybrid technologies in enhancing existing training environments, with a particular focus on combat training centers. Fort Johnson, known for its complex terrain and vegetation, provided an ideal setting for testing these advancements.
Brig. Gen. William R. Glaser, director of the Synthetic Training Environment Cross-Functional Team (STE CFT), emphasized the unique challenges of replicating Fort Johnson’s training environment. He noted that starting with such a difficult terrain would ensure the effectiveness of the technologies anywhere.
The Live Training System integrates live, virtual, and constructive elements to offer soldiers a more realistic training experience. This includes realistic replicas of battlefield weapons, such as grenades, claymores, mortars, and Stingers. These replicas accurately mimic the effects of real weapons while reducing training costs and risks.
During the demonstration, soldiers from the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Johnson tested simulation grenades, demonstrating rapid skill improvement in a realistic setting. Glaser highlighted the significance of these advancements, noting that the inclusion of these systems in the live training environment has greatly accelerated soldiers’ skill development.
The Stinger missile system, a vital component of the Live Training System, represents a departure from traditional laser-based solutions. Glaser emphasized its revolutionary nature, utilizing GPS bearing technologies and optical solutions instead of lasers. This innovation allows soldiers, even those outside the air defense artillery military occupational specialty, to train and utilize the system effectively.
Furthermore, the instrumenting of the simulation mortar system enables quicker replication of battlefield effects, an aspect often overlooked in training. Glaser stressed the importance of accurately portraying the devastating impact of indirect fire, emphasizing the seriousness of such events in combat scenarios.