USMC simulator to get more weapons

Cubic Global Defense (CGD) has been awarded contracts worth $3.7 million to integrate new weapons into the US Marine Corps’ (USMC's) Squad Immersive Training Environment (SITE) simulation system, it announced on 29 February.

With these contracts, the USMC becomes CGD’s first customer to field geo-pairing technology for non-line-of-sight weapons. The technology provides a relative position between target and shooter. SITE is interoperable with the Instrumented-Tactical Engagement Simulation System (I-TESS II).

According to the contracts, CGD will provide new simulator weapons including MK-19 grenade launchers and surrogate tube-launched, optically tracked wire-guided anti-tank guided missiles, for live training exercises. Additionally, the company will support the design, development and integration of SITE-specific capability enhancements to the I-TESS II training system as well as evaluate the effectiveness of the ruggedised prototype.

These additions aim to support direct force-on-force and force-on-target tactical engagement training and address training proficiency and readiness gaps at the squad level. Moreover, SITE calculates ballistics and sends a kill message to those within the impact zone.

Bill Toti, president, CGD, said: ‘As we continue to bring cutting-edge training capabilities such as the geo-pairing technology for non-line-of-sight weapons to live training battlefields, we are overcoming the limitations of laser and providing a complement to laser-based engagement.

‘We want to put our marines in a realistic combat environment where they are going to experience the various aspects of actual combat including threats, sights and sounds, but in a safe environment where they can make mistakes, learn and be better prepared.’