Ravenswood contracted for MARTE-O training kit for the Netherlands

The Royal Netherlands Army Command has awarded Ravenswood Solutions a contract to provide its modular augmented reality tracking equipment for observers (MARTE-O) kit.

The MARTE-O kit is a power-efficient, conformal, and wearable design that includes a binocular module, head-mounted display, sensor and graphics modules, and a tablet to operate the system.  

It is Ravenswood's response to the challenge of training military forward observers in a safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable fashion, the company says.

The augmented reality (AR) system was developed in partnership with SRI International and Lockheed Martin for the Office of Naval Research on behalf of the US Marine Corps.

MARTE-O can be used anywhere in the world and lowers training costs by simulating vehicles, aircraft and munitions, Ravenswood says, and the AR eliminates the boundaries of ranges, aircraft and munitions availability, and weather.  

Troops can train wherever and whenever is most convenient and accessible, and the MARTE-O kit can be used to train fires observers and tactical air controllers.  

Deployed to actual ranges in austere conditions, troops can develop their skills in calling for close air support, artillery, naval gunfire, and casualty evacuation when air assets, artillery, targets, or munitions are unavailable, or their use is cost-prohibitive.  

This type of training can also be used on non-traditional ranges, such as in urban areas or no-fly zones.

Troops that once trained annually can practice regularly with the system, and troops that are not specialised fires observers or controllers will be able to train for incidental fire support.