Team Orlando Leaders Share What They’re Looking to Find at I/ITSEC 2024 during NTSA Webinar

By Christa Yates, Staff Writer

 

The National Training and Simulation Association hosted a webinar, “Deterrence Through Training and Readiness: How M&S is Protecting Our World,” Nov. 6, wherein military Team Orlando leaders discussed what they were looking to find at the 2024 Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, and Education Conference (I/ITSEC).

 

The panel, hosted by retired Navy Vice Adm. Sean Buck, consisted of Navy Capt. Tim James, commander of the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division and Naval Support Activity Orlando; Marine Col. Marcus Reynolds, program manager of the Marine Corps’ Program Manager Training Systems; Air Force Col. Carlos Quinones, acting program executive officer for the Air Force’s program executive office (PEO) Training; Space Force Col. Corey Klopstein, PEO for Operational Test and Training Infrastructure; and Army Brig. Gen. Christine Beeler, program executive officer for U.S. Army PEO Simulation, Training and Instrumentation.

 

James began the talk by saying the Navy was focusing heavily on “Project 33,” which emphasizes a “training like we fight” philosophy and highlights live, virtual, constructive (LVC) training environments in preparing the Navy for a potential conflict with China.

 

James stated that he’s looking for three specific technology areas: artificial intelligence (AI), mixed and extended reality devices, and “anything that supports infrastructure.”

 

“We’ve got all kinds of operational plans with magical lightning bolts that make all these simulators work, but nobody really focuses on [infrastructure], they always glom on to the devices,” James said. “I’m interested in anything that helps us with our bandwidth problems or cyber problems… because that seems to be the thing we always neglect until it fails, and then we can’t fully get the bang for the buck out of the devices we buy.”

 

According to Reynolds, the Marine Corps’ key focus areas are synthetic training environments, depth of learning, and tools that support joint force training in conjunction with Project Tripoli.

 

“We are challenged to modernize warfare through innovations and solutions,” Reynolds said. “We’re very excited to get out there and see the technological advancements that have developed over the last year. Just seeing the leap in technology between my first and second year of I/ITSEC was amazing. I’m looking forward to seeing this jump as I enter my third I/ITSEC and how the needle pushes.”

 

Reynolds added that his team will be conducting research on AI capabilities throughout I/ITSEC this year, and on how AI can support wargaming capabilities and advance current training initiatives.

 

Quinones said the Air Force is focusing on tools to advance current training initiatives that are flexible and adaptable.

 

“The Air Force is going through a significant transformation regarding how we look at training,” Quinones said. “We don’t have the flexibility or the time to take years looking into big systems for training. We need current systems.”

 

As a result, Quinones said his team is utilizing existing technologies such as AI and virtual reality, alongside a good set of tools.

 

“These tools allow us to look at enterprise solutions, integrating all of these technologies to leverage our dollar,” Quinones said. “We’re looking for those opportunities where a tool can be leveraged across the enterprise.”

 

Beeler noted the similarities between themes of I/ITSEC 2024 and the most recent Association of the United States Army meeting, which describe the need for adaption, preparation and integration of advanced technologies to enhance training and operational effectiveness. However, Beeler acknowledged that the Army is acutely aware that technology is not the sole answer to advancing training.

 

“At the center of all of this is the human,” Beeler said. “The human is the critical constituent that’s going to bring all of this great kit to bear on the battlefield… Everything PEO [STRI] strives to do starts with the soldier, from the private to the general.”

 

Klopstein said the Space Force is focusing on capitalizing on existing systems and integrating capabilities.

 

“The space domain has really changed from a benign to a highly contested environment,” Klopstein said. “As we’ve changed, so have our needs. Readiness is our top priority, and we need to maintain space superiority. We’ve already seen an increase in demand and requirements.”

 

Klopstein emphasized that he was not trying to use “AI” as a buzzword without specificity, and that his organization wants to have AI-operated blue systems and red systems so Guardians can train at any time.

 

In the Q&A session, the leaders were asked specific questions regarding the future of their individual services.

 

In addressing how the Navy avoids falling into the trap that AI is the answer to everything, James explained that AI isn’t a solution in and of itself, and that learning how to use AI is crucial.

 

“You don’t want to lose situational awareness, blindly following what it says,” James said. “We’re trying to figure out that exact problem, using it how we’re supposed to [because] you have to train with it as a tool, using it properly. We’re beginning that training with our most junior officers.”

 

When asked how small businesses engage, and how engaged the Navy is with small businesses, James explained that the Navy involves small business in everything they can.

 

“Small businesses are where we make our money,” James said. “They’re our most agile, most on time, most creative… if it doesn’t go to a small business, then we consider larger options.”

 

James also discussed whether he saw a path for extended reality and wargaming for leadership and decision makers, mentioning that it was a common question.

 

“From the evolution training, it was easy to focus on individual personnel training, but when we went to unit, double training, we found that we’re still in the ‘crawl stages’ of force-wide training,” James said. “Every major commander and staff are asking how they can leverage tools on a shoestring budget so they can get better at what they do. It’s disappointing when you see what we can do at an individual unit level, and there’s absolutely room with the technology we have in Orlando to train even our most senior leaders.”

 

When asked how Guardians were using modeling and simulation (M&S) environments to train today, Klopstein said the Space Force was trying to use M&S environments in blue and red models to be a key part of what the Space Force needs to do for testing and training. He expects M&S to be a key part in ensuring the Space Force is doing the right kind of training.

 

He also stated that the biggest gap in training that his organization has identified, involves how to train across systems and maintain the “kill chain,” which describes the steps a military force takes to attack a target, and the stages of an attack.

 

“The training systems we have right now have been underfunded [and] the level of fidelity is not to the level that we need,” Klopstein said. “How do we make sure our training systems are upgraded to the level of fidelity we need? Well, we’re identifying the digital environments we need and leveraging the capabilities we have as quickly as possible.”

 

Quinones mentioned that he looks forward to hearing leaders’ perspectives across the forces as joint training solutions evolve.

 

“It’s a great opportunity to see how innovation is moving forward,” Quinones said. “We do not create solutions, we are acquirers. We rely on our partners to push and create those developments.”

 

When asked how PEO Training accelerates training and readiness, Quinones pointed out that PEO Training is “a shift” on how the Air Force has done training for a long time. While there are multiple benefits to this approach, at the top is a focus on training capabilities that supply all users to meet demand while preparing.

 

Quinones also said that I/ITSEC is a great opportunity for the cross between industry, government and academia to see where research and tech is going, not just in the next three to five years, but what professionals should focus on beyond that time frame.

 

Beeler stated that her priorities during this year’s I/ITSEC involved instrumenting maritime, land and air training collectively, and aligning those areas with electronic warfare capabilities.

 

“It’s through technologies that allow us to make sure we have a good infrastructure through AI, and the depth of understanding and controlling red forces,” Beeler said. “Bringing the test and training communities together will assist in lessons learned. We’re looking at how to replicate enemy platforms and individual weapons platforms, as well as how civilians act on the battlefield with an accurate level of depth. We’re looking at plugging individual components into our existing architecture [and] trying to bring what people really might do into that space.”

 

According to Reynolds, the vision of seamless, joint training in the future involved full integration.

 

“As we expand our connections for Project Tripoli and our efforts, our vision to fully integrate training with our sister services will be an example other services can use,” Reynolds said. “As we start using joint tools, it’ll be a roadmap.”

 

Reynolds also noted that the Marine Corps is already working alongside the Navy, but is focusing on expanding connections with the Army, Air Force, and Space Force as they continue to identify gaps in training.