California National Guard Soldiers Sharpen Warfighting Skills with Experimental Training Program

First Live Demonstration of Training Platform Linking Geographically Separated Training Events Was Integrated by SRI International

MENLO PARK, Calif., May 9, 2003 - On Saturday, May 3, 2003, the California National Guard successfully completed the first live demonstration of its Joint Training Experimentation Program (JTEP), a federally funded statewide combat readiness training system that creates a realistic battlefield environment through the integration of live battle exercises with computer-based simulators.

The integrated training exercise, performed by soldiers from the California Army National Guard, was conducted simultaneously at Camp San Luis Obispo and Camp Roberts, near Paso Robles, California. While the two installations are approximately 50 miles apart, JTEP technology allowed military teams to train jointly on a synthetic battlefield where a computer generated armored unit engaged "real" armored vehicles and soldiers assembled for a weekend training exercise.

According to California National Guard JTEP Program Manager, Colonel John Bernatz, "This was the first successful demonstration of a link-up between computer and live training systems, and it marks the beginning of a new training concept that has the potential to greatly reduce costs while increasing the readiness of National Guard personnel."

The May 3rd demonstration included the Deployable Force-on-Force Instrumented Range System (DFIRST^TM), a comprehensive instrumented training system for armored ground combat maneuver and gunnery training, to instrument the live exercise. The Joint Combat and Tactics Simulation (JCATS) system, a staff-level training program, was the computer-based simulation. Future configurations will include additional training systems to enhance overall capability.

SRI International, an independent research organization, is the prime contractor and systems integrator for the JTEP program.

JTEP can greatly increase training effectiveness where command, infantry, armored, and eventually the Guard's air elements can interact during joint combat training exercises without all participants traveling to a common training range. Large-scale exercises have been infrequent because of the costs required to move widely distributed Guard units and their equipment to a single exercise location. Colonel Bernatz noted that, "JTEP converts travel time to training time and travel dollars to training dollars."

Later this year, the Guard will complete the first phase of the JTEP program by adding a third component to the integrated training concept. In addition to the "live" DFIRST element at Camp Roberts and the staff training JCATS simulators at Camp San Luis Obispo, M1A1 tank simulators known as Close Combat Tactical Trainers (CCTT) will join the "live" armored vehicles participating on the Camp Roberts training range. Media representatives will be invited to witness this demonstration.

Subsequent phases are planned to broaden JTEP's capabilities by expanding participation to other branches of the military, addressing the Guard's military support for civilian authorities (MSCA) mission, and linking other states with California for larger exercises that emulate full-scale military deployments.

About SRI International
Silicon Valley-based SRI International (http://www.sri.com) is one of the world's leading independent research and technology development organizations. Founded as Stanford Research Institute in 1946, SRI has been meeting the strategic needs of clients for more than 55 years. The nonprofit research institute performs contract research and development for government agencies, commercial businesses and private foundations.

SRI has been supporting the defense test and training community for more than 30 years, serving the acquisition organizations of all major branches of the U.S. military.

DFIRST (www.dfirst.com) is a registered trademark of SRI International. JCATS is a registered trademark of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.