Kratos demonstrates Mixed Reality reconfigurable Virtual Collective Training System at I/ITSEC

In Mixed Reality News

December 8, 2019 – Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Kratos), a National Security Solutions provider, has this week demonstrated its new mixed reality Reconfigurable Virtual Collective Training System (RVCTS) at the modeling, simulation and training event, I/ITSEC, held in Orlando, Florida.

According to Kratos, its RVCTS satisfies the military’s demand for a cost-effective, reconfigurable, multi-platform, immersive training environment that incorporates the latest technology in an open architecture framework.

The RVCTS-air (RVCTS-A) configuration, which incorporates mixed reality technology and was demonstrated at I/ITSEC, is designed to achieve aircrew and collective training capability by reconfiguring into rotary wing (helicopter) platforms. The RVCTS-A I/ITSEC demo supported three rotary-wing platform configurations, which included the Black Hawk (UH-60M), Chinook (CH-47F), and Apache (AH-64D) helicopters. The demo was designed to reconfigure from one to another in as little as 30 minutes, according to the company.

Kratos also states that the RVCTS-A is able to provide collective aircrew training under a single aircraft platform by deploying a Cockpit Module, an Aerial Gunner’s Module and/or a Hoist or Cargo Module. With all modules operating in the same ‘Synthetic Training Environment’ companies have the flexibility to operate the RVCTS-A in a single aircrew environment or a collective multi-platform environment.

Jose Diaz, Senior Vice President Kratos Training, commented: “We have partnered with industry leaders to develop the most innovative and mission focused Reconfigurable Virtual Collective Training System currently available. This innovative Kratos system is comprised of Bugeye Technologies’ high fidelity cockpit components, VSS’ ‘real cable’ hoist product and AVT’s Combined Aircrew Mission Task Trainer simulation baseline. Our partners’ agility and leading technology focus coupled with Kratos’ immersive simulation technology, years of simulation experience and vision have resulted in the RVCTS-A, a truly technologically advanced, highly immersive collective training system with the right level of fidelity to achieve the target mission training. RVCTS-A is the right solution for collective training needs as it delivers outcomes that enable the Warfighter to conduct representative, multi echelon training at the Point of Need (PoN).”

Kratos develops advanced training solutions for US and allied forces and is innovating in military simulation and training programs by integrating immersive technologies, such as XR, with the company’s own blended learning content and open architecture simulation systems for air, ground, maritime, and soon, space domains. Kratos’ Platforms combine commercial, off-the-shelf hardware and software products, the actions of which are communicated to a shared central memory module where required actions are automatically triggered by the platform’s software. (i.e.: pine forest imagery in a simulated environment will trigger pine tree aroma; the pull of a trigger will trigger muzzle flashes.). As a result, the company’s platforms integrate sight, sound, smell, and haptic senses into training courses.

Video credit: NTSAToday/YouTube

About the author

Sam Sprigg

Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.