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To satisfy its intention that all of its home stations should be able to field MILES 2000 training equipment, the US Army has decided to award a follow-on contract for the MILES XXI force-on-force training system.
A battle to win a $140-150m order for laser-based tactical engagement systems (TES) for the US Army was launched in January when the US Army's simulation, training and instrumentation command (STRICOM) asked contenders to come forward.
In 1993, the US Army initiated the MILES 2000 programme to replace its basic MILES systems that were reaching the end of their economic life cycle.
The US Army intends to field MILES 2000 training equipment at all of its home stations. The current MILES 2000 contract with Cubic Defense Systems satisfies only a small percentage of this requirement. The follow-on order has been designated as Follow on MILES XXI.
In order to meet its intention, the US Army will require additional production after completion of the current MILES 2000 contract with Cubic. Therefore STRICOM, acting as the Pentagon's procurement agent, intends to conduct a full and open competition to award a contract for the next production phase of MILES XXI. This will begin later this year although the production schedule is still subject to change.
MILES XXI is a force-on-force training system used by both dismounted infantry and mobile weapon crews to increase combat readiness and fighting effectiveness.
Weapon information
The system uses laser light in the form of pulses to transmit weapon information to a target. These pulses are transmitted each time a weapon is fired. Information contained in the pulses includes the player identification and the type of weapon used. The target entity processes the information to produce a casualty assessment.
The casualty assessment for a dismounted soldier can produce a state of killed or wounded. The casualty assessment for a mobile weapon system can produce several outcomes including catastrophic kill, mobility kill and communication kill. Both dismounted soldiers and mobile- weapon-system platforms are equipped with a laser transmitter and laser receiver.
After-action review
The ability to support an after-action review is an essential feature of the MILES XXI training system and is possible because all player activity is recorded during an exercise.
The army developed the family of MILES devices (Basic MILES) in the late '70s and early '80s using state-of-the-art technology. Basic MILES is the primary training device for force-on-force training at army home stations. However, today's training battlefield requires an improved performance level Basic MILES cannot meet. Further, Basic MILES systems have reached the end of their useful economic life cycle. As a result the US army has reassessed its acquisition alternatives.
Soldiers use Basic MILES devices primarily during force-on-force exercises to simulate the firing and effects of actual weapons systems. These weapons systems include the M1 Abrams tank, Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, M113 armoured personnel carrier, wheeled vehicles and other non-shooting targets. Additionally, Basic MILES simulations address anti-armour weapons, machine guns, rifles and other ancillary items, such as a controller gun, within the programme. However, existing Basic MILES technology does not support the level of fidelity army commanders and trainers require.
Repair parts required to maintain the Basic MILES inventory are no longer available on the open market. Expensive reverse engineering of Basic MILES components is a common support practice. Basic MILES fails to record any event data for use in after-action reviews, a major handicap in providing soldiers with feedback.
Improved weapon fidelity
Because of these shortcomings, the army made the decision to buy devices reflecting improved weapon fidelity and reduced logistics burden. Examples of logistics support advances found in the latest generation of MILES include longer-life batteries, reduced power consumption by components, advanced electronics design, and more rugged and robust equipment with reduced operation support costs.
The army generated an operational requirements document (ORD) for a home-station MILES replacement programme in 1993, entitled MILES XXI. The MILES XXI programme ORD included Basic MILES functionality, compatibility with the direct-fire component of simulated area-weapons effects-radio frequency/MILES II (SAWE-RF/MILES II), usability improvements and training effectiveness increases made possible by commercial off-the-shelf integrated circuit and laser technologies.
$134m contract
STRICOM competitively awarded the first MILES XXI contract to Cubic Defense Systems, that provided the first batch of MILES 2000 equipment to the US Army, USAF and US marines. This $134m contract is producing MILES XXI systems and has options through this year. STRICOM intends to use competitive acquisition for the follow-on award at the conclusion of the contract options. Cubic is likely to face competition from a Lockheed Martin/ Schwarz Electro-Optics team. Sweden's Saab Training Systems also could be a contender. |
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