The U.S. Navy cleared more than 1,400 contracts for training platforms worth approximately $1 billion in fiscal year 2017 compared with approximately 1,200 contract actions executed in FY 2014, National Defense reported Thursday.The Naval Air Warfare Center’s training systems division has begun to field more commercial-off-the-shelf training platforms, Capt. Erik Etz, division commanding officer, said at a panel discussion during the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference in Florida.
Etz noted that his division has started to develop a “baseline of systems†designed to help the service branch provide system configuration and common standards as it works with commercial partners to establish applications specific to an individual warfighter’s skills.
He also discussed the Navy’s efforts to integrate virtual, mixed and augmented reality technology platforms into its training tools as well as address interoperability issues facing its simulation systems.
Etz added that the service needs to ramp up training across maritime and aerial domains amid recent mishaps such as the collision incidents involving two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
