Government technical leaders focus on interoperability, integration at VRARA Immersive Technology Summit

By Cassidy Mills, Staff Writer

May 11, 2026

Government technical leaders discussed requirements for accelerating adoption of extended reality (XR) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies within their respective branches of service during the fourth annual Central Florida Immersive Technology Summit, held April 15 at the Central Florida Tech Grove and hosted in partnership with the VR/AR Association (VRARA) Central Florida Chapter.

Supported by the U.S. Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation (AFAMS) and the University of Central Florida, the event brought together government, industry and academic stakeholders to examine advances in modeling, simulation and training.

The summit examined how immersive tools are evolving across defense and commercial applications. This year’s theme, “Mission-Ready Immersion: XR, Simulation and AI Powering the Next Generation of MS&T,” guided panels, presentations and demonstrations focused on operational use cases and emerging capabilities.

Panelists included David Stargel, Ph.D., technical director for the Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation (AFAMS); Alpesh Patel, chief engineer for the U.S. Army Capability Program Executive Office Simulation, Training, Test and Threat (CPE ST3); and Courtney McNamara, the Advanced Gaming Interactive Learning Environment (AGILE) Team Lead at the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD).

Stargel emphasized aligning technical development with operational requirements to ensure immersive capabilities translate effectively into training environments. He noted that while XR and AI technologies are advancing rapidly, adoption depends on designing systems that can be integrated across platforms without disrupting training pipelines.

“We have to make sure we are not just building advanced technology but building technology that can actually be fielded and sustained within operational constraints,” Stargel said. “That means keeping a continuous connection between innovation and the mission it is intended to support.”

He also stressed the importance of continuous feedback from end users to refine capabilities as systems transition from development to operational use.

“The most effective solutions are the ones that are continuously informed by the people using them in the field,” Stargel said. “That feedback is what allows us to adjust quickly and keep pace with changing mission requirements.”

Patel focused on structural barriers that can slow fielding at scale, including fragmented architectures and inconsistent data standards that limit interoperability across systems and services.

“If we continue to develop systems in isolation, we end up reinforcing the very fragmentation we are trying to eliminate,” Patel said. “Standardization and modular design are what allow us to connect capabilities and actually scale them across the enterprise.”

He added that modular, open frameworks support more efficient capability delivery while improving long-term sustainability. Patel also noted that acquisition pathways must evolve alongside emerging technologies.

“The pace of innovation is no longer the constraint — the constraint is how quickly we can adapt our processes to accept and integrate that innovation,” Patel said. “We need acquisition and technical architectures that are built to evolve, not lock us into static solutions.”

McNamara highlighted efforts to better align training environments with joint and coalition operations by connecting live, virtual and constructive systems into more realistic, data-driven scenarios.

“When we connect these environments effectively, we give trainees the ability to experience the same information flow and coordination challenges they will see in actual operations,” McNamara said. “That level of fidelity is essential for building true joint readiness.”

She added that achieving effective integration requires shared governance and consistent standards across organizations, alongside technical solutions.

“Standards and governance only matter if they are consistently applied across all participants in the ecosystem,” McNamara said. “That alignment is what ensures we can move from connected systems to truly interoperable training environments that deliver mission impact.”

Throughout the panel, speakers agreed that integration — not just innovation — is central to improving capability delivery. While each organization approaches the challenge from a different service perspective, there was consensus that future training systems must function as connected ecosystems rather than standalone tools.

“Our focus is making sure we are not just advancing individual technologies but integrating them in a way that supports the broader training enterprise,” Stargel said. “That level of connection is what ultimately turns innovation into operational impact.”

The session concluded with agreement that immersive technologies are already improving training realism and effectiveness, but their long-term impact depends on sustained investment in interoperability, data architecture and cross-service coordination.

“We are seeing strong results from immersive training but scaling that impact depends on how well we can connect systems and share data across services,” McNamara said. “That level of coordination is what will ensure these capabilities translate into consistent operational advantage.”