Starting today, VirTra is at I/ITSEC at Booth #641 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL! It is also our first Orlando-based event since the grand opening of VirTra’s new facility in the same city.

Every year we add new training scenarios, marksmanship capabilities, and add to our list of supported weapons. I/ITSEC is where we display the latest technology available to military units with the goal of keeping servicemembers well-prepared for the field.

 

Our Showcased Technologies

• V-300® 4K—Ultra HD resolution that more accurately reproduces subtle visual details. This technology more perfectly replicates real-world encounters.
• V-Threat-Fire®—The new version of the patented consequence device that delivers an electric impulse to simulate gunfire, explosions, etc.
• V-Marksmanship – The program that gives warfighters customizable range options and accurate ballistics.
• The Newest Recoil Kits & CO2 Magazines—The newest developments in hardware that transforms a live weapon to simulation-ready in minutes with no permanent modification. Now available for even more weapons!
• Latest Development— Live real-time data analytics demonstration thanks to Vialytix! See the new way to collect and report training data.

 

If you are at the show, or will be in the next few days, come visit Booth #641 or reserve a private demonstration. Contact a product specialist to skip the lines and schedule time to experience the V-300 4K!

The topic of “active threat” and what is being done to prepare for a potential event is a highly relevant one in the law enforcement world. And, though an active threat may look different for them, the military must also prepare for such instances.

An active threat is identified as an event where a populated area is being targeted by one or more people with the intent to obtain a high number of casualties. When faced with an active threat, the attacker/attackers are often individuals whose beliefs do not align with their targets. Generally, firearms or explosives are the weapons utilized in these situations.

 

What Does an Active Threat Look Like for the Military?

Firearms are a frequently used method in green-on-blue attacks; however, explosives tend to be more common overseas within military active threat situations. There are a variety of ways that explosives can be utilized such as in mines and hidden bombs, launched grenades, vehicle-borne devices or even attached to an individual.

In a statistic provided by the Defense Department, “…improvised explosive devices account for 50 percent of all daily attacks…Of the three types of IEDs (roadside bombs, vehicle-born bombs and suicide bombs), roadside bombs are responsible for the most casualties.”

Despite the circumstance, the main goal is for military teams to eliminate the threat as quickly as possible and keep as many lives safe as possible, including their own.

 

How Can They Stay Prepared?

It is important for servicemembers to have access to real-world training for these situations. However, replicating such a high-stress situation, especially one with explosives, can seem challenging for teams to accomplish safely.

But realistic training for an active threat situation is made possible with the VirTra simulators. Servicemembers can train through real-world scenarios designed to help them practice situational awareness, threat neutralization, marksmanship and so much more in a fully immersive experience.

Scenarios are designed to put trainees under stress while also requiring them to use quick decision-making skills, creating well-trained military teams that are prepared for these situations.

 

Military Scenario Options

VirTra’s military training combat simulators provide access to multiple crucial training scenarios that are designed to help them stay prepared for active threats.

• Active Threat/ Active Killer
• Green on Blue
• Vehicle /Roadside
• Threat Recognition
• And more!

To learn more about the chosen defense simulation solution by the military, contact a VirTra specialist today!

 

Resources:

Researchers Help U.S. Military Thwart Explosive Threats (phys.org)

The situations that servicemembers encounter require bravery, courage, and strength. Protecting our country is no small feat and we are endlessly grateful for those who serve. We also value the importance of supporting and training those servicemembers so that they are prepared for the unique circumstances that they might face.

VirTra’s goal is to help servicemembers stay alive on the battlefield and be able to return home safely to their loved ones. That is why we developed our high-quality simulator scenarios, including military firearms training and more.

 

Prepared for Anything

We equip warfighters with true-to-life training that immerses them into a wide variety of scenarios so that they can be exposed to some of the situations that they will be found in.

One form of our simulator scenarios teaches the process of making decisions under stress. These include Active Threat/Active Killer, Roadside Bomber, Green on Blue, and more. These scenarios help servicemembers learn to react quickly and efficiently to a time-sensitive and stress inducing situation in order to keep themselves and bystanders as safe as possible.

Another form of training teaches situational awareness and keeping your head on a swivel in case something goes awry. These include Key Leader Engagement, Patrol, Vehicle/Traffic Control Checkpoint, and more. In situations where the pressure is high, being aware of your surroundings and the small movements of others is helpful training in the case that the situation takes a turn for the worse.

Another form of training we offer, is our V-Marksmanship® military firearms training program. With the ability to customize the environments (rain, wind, snow and more), the movement of the targets, and the targets themselves, trainees learn how to make the shot in any environment. The V-Marksmanship® technology is also equipped with the most accurate ballistic calculator in the industry. VirTra’s military firearms training is an excellent tool for servicemembers to train with their weapons in a safe environment.

VirTra’s military simulator training provides the ability to develop and practice skills in an environment where mistakes can be made and learned from safely so if the real thing happens, our warfighters are prepared and ready to take it on.

To learn more about our military firearms training and real-life scenarios, contact a VirTra specialist.

Service members must be highly proficient with their primary weapons systems this requires early training for them – almost day 1.

Unlike a red or blue inert training weapon that some use to build skills, training should be as close to real as possible. Without the recoil, accurate ballistics, and the weight of a real weapon to contend with, you simply lack training fidelity and will not be as prepared.

Marksmanship Training

For any military branch, basic marksmanship is a crucial skill to acquire immediately. Skills may also become rusty if they are not practiced enough. Though nothing can compare to live fire training, VirTra’s marksmanship training options are an accurate supplement.

V-Marksmanship® allows for customizable environments and a staggering number of targets. Targets also can be programmed to move in different directions, speeds, and set up in various ways. The virtual range can be customized to include wind, rain, direction of sunlight, and nighttime conditions. With these features, a new environment is possible every time your squad steps into the simulator.

VirTra takes ballistic accuracy seriously. The ballistic calculator on our systems mimics real bullet trajectory based on the weapon being used. The ballistics have been independently verified for accuracy up to 2,500m and .02 milliradian accuracy.

Recoil Kits and Magazines

Taking realism even further, VirTra’s recoil kits and CO2 magazines provide critical recoil in the firearm that creates a disruption of a soldier’s sight picture, that must be re-established for follow-up shots. This allows skill transfer from the sim to the range. Because recoil kits and magazines fit numerous rifles and pistols, there is one out there for your duty weapon.

Installation is simple and takes around two minutes. For a rifle, remove the bolt carrier and replace it with the stainless steel, durable recoil kit. If using a pistol, the kit is a barrel replacement. Magazines fit snugly into your weapon and have the same weight and feel as a real one. The VirTra kits also preclude the loading and chambering of a live round to ensure high levels of safety.

Besides simulating an empty magazine, the custom VirTra mags can also simulate a malfunction. Firearms don’t have unlimited ammo and they sometimes “malfunction” so we make sure you are prepared for those situations too. Practice clearing a malfunction and reloading your weapon quickly and accurately while moving or finding appropriate cover.

V-ST PRO®

The V-ST PRO training simulator excels in supporting marksmanship training due to its range-like structure and ability to create six firing lanes per screen. It also provides the option to add up to five screens to train as many as 30 servicemembers simultaneously.

Clinical studies have shown that when officers are in a great deal of stress, they sometimes make the wrong judgement call. The high-definition, realistic environment shown on-screen can help trainees experience stress and learn to work through it – all while still accurately using their duty weapon as needed.

To learn more about how VirTra helps soldiers and warfighters excel in marksmanship training, contact a product specialist.

Are you looking for a new way to train soldiers and warfighters using ballistically accurate technology? Whether it’s for new recruits or just keeping your squad up-to-date on their marksmanship skills, having a VirTra system available can cover all your training points.

Military Scenarios

Our military training partners train through specific tactical scenarios, honing important skills for everything from patrol to engagement. Even better is that all SME-reviewed scenarios are filmed with professional equipment, not created with unrealistic looking CGI.

Here are a few examples that cover a portion of the scenarios we offer:

Active Threat Training

When on the field, threats can happen quickly and action needs to be taken as soon as one is recognized. An active threat is defined as one where a populated area is being targeted with a goal to obtain casualties.

Whether the attacker’s method is a gun, explosive or some other tool, servicemembers must respond fast to minimize loss of life. The scenarios that follow this theme allow trainees to experience these tough events in a safe environment and be better equipped in case one was to happen in real life.

Green on Blue / Inside Attacks

An inside attack, sometimes called ‘green on blue,’ is often one that takes servicemembers by surprise. It is not easy to tell when an inside attack will happen if they are from a friendly or neutral force. In some cases, they occur due to enemy infiltration. Either way, their actions may not arouse suspicion at first.

VirTra’s aptly-named scenario “Green on Blue” allows warfighters to quickly react to an insurgent dressed as a friendly who begins to open fire. This requires quick action and well-placed shots. Like other scenarios, the instructor can trigger when the insurgent begins to fire.

Key Leader Engagement

When overseas and in unfamiliar territory, there are situations where a soldier may need to engage with locals for various reasons. Sometimes it is to influence behavior, and other times to gather intel.

The corresponding scenarios let servicemembers speak to a key leader by means of a translator. How this village elder and those around him respond are entirely up to the instructor. If they wish to challenge the trainee, a nearby insurgent may begin shooting.

Military Patrol

There are many different types of patrol and reasons behind them – from gathering information to finding and eliminating an enemy. In some military scenarios, they are taken by surprise when returning to base from patrol. In others, they are assigned to a task and have to deal with a hostile individual.

Traffic Control Checkpoints

During a seemingly routine task, one must never let their guard down. This is shown in our “Traffic Control Checkpoint” scenario where a search escalates and warfighters are tasked with eliminating the threat.

Along with situational awareness, trainees must know to provide cover for fellow servicemembers. As this scenario is just one example, many others involve an enemy shooting at more than just the student – because in real life, the attacker would want to ensure all who oppose them are struck.

 

Would you like to learn more about the benefits VirTra has for warfighters? Contact a product specialist to learn more about what we have to offer.

A windy and rainy day out on the battlefield is difficult to prepare servicemembers for when the shooting range that they practice on stays at a steady sunny and 95 degrees on most days. Or maybe they are having to shoot at moving targets when all they have ever practiced on are stationary ones.

You can’t control the weather and you can’t shoot at moving vehicles safely in live range training. But it is beyond important for warfighters to be keenly trained on the various conditions that they might face once they hit the field. Making sure their marksmanship skills are sharp and accurate will result in many lives saved and give them the ability to do what they set out to do – serve our country. So how can these military squads accomplish this kind of training?

Prepared For Any Condition

Live fire ranges are crucial for servicemembers to practice on. Getting used to the way that their firearm shoots live ammunition, getting to see a real bullet sink into their target – these are things that they can’t miss out on when training for the battlefield. But with that type of range, also comes the lack of variability in conditions for them to train in.

That’s where we come in.

VirTra’s marksman simulator, the V-ST PRO® is able to provide the complete firearms training experience for a team of warfighters. Rain or shine, moving vehicle or stationary, change in altitude – we cover all of the bases. Equipped with our V-Marksmanship® training and the ability to drop our recoil kit directly into their own weapons, teams will learn how to hit their target under any circumstance.

Additionally, the V-Marksmanship® technology provides a powerful training experience with the most accurate ballistic calculator in the industry. The calculator holds the ability to mimic a real-world trajectory of a shot based on the type of projectile, weapon specifications, and the environmental conditions. With this, teams have the opportunity to practice their marksmanship skills through our shooting range simulator that prepares them to take on their missions with confidence.

Advancing Warfighter Performance

In addition to the marksman simulation training, VirTra offers a variety of military scenarios that teams can train through. With each scenario, we designed an immersive and complex way for teams to learn resilience and accuracy.

This training includes:

• Key Leader Engagement
• Green On Blue
• Suicide Bomber
• And More!

To learn more about the chosen defense simulation by the military, contact a VirTra specialist.

Warfighters and soldiers in the field face numerous dangerous and life-threatening situations every day. Not only are the enemies they face unpredictable, but they must also make decisions based on their unique environments, which are difficult to mimic or simulate using common learning methods. A simulator that utilizes real video is a highly effective way to train soldiers, and with time, this style of training can lead to better reactions and decision-making skills.

Virtual Simulators are Immersive

In many cases, recruits learn how to handle situations they may encounter in the field by listening to a lecture, watching a video, or going out into the field and practicing a variety of maneuvers. Though these things can and often do help members of the military learn what to do in certain situations, these methods lack realism and do little to properly train soldiers. When faced with a life-threatening situation, soldiers who have experienced that situation before are far more likely to react appropriately.

VirTra’s simulators are designed to provide a completely immersive experience and help soldiers feel as if they are truly out in the field. They utilize high-quality video and sound, and they come with dozens of pre-programmed scenarios that can be customized for unique situations. This makes a simulator one of the best tools available for training.

Experience Any Imaginable Scenario and Environment

Another of the biggest benefits associated with utilizing VirTra to train warfighters is the simulators’ ability to recreate almost any scenario in any possible environment. For example, a vehicle may react differently in dry conditions than in the rain, and by simulating both experiences, soldiers can learn the differences and make appropriate decisions. Types of military scenarios include green-on-blue, active threat, key leader engagement and more. Essentially, with the ability to control the scenario, the weather and the visibility, it is possible to help soldiers and warfighters learn what it is like to work in a wide range of conditions that they may not experience otherwise.

The same goes for virtual range training, where VirTra’s marksmanship programs are both customizable and ballistically accurate. This makes it a perfect supplement for live fire range training. Instructors can change the setting of the range from the time of day, weather, wind and more so military members can experience the effects different conditions have when firing. Instructors may also change the types of targets and how they appear, turn or pop up.

In-Depth Progress Measurement

VirTra gives military service members (and their instructors) an opportunity to review the actions that were taken during the simulation and improve their behaviors based upon the result. In other words, it is possible to measure soldiers’ progress objectively and completely. Simulators track everything a soldier says and does, and they can even record reaction time. Following a simulation, it is possible to review footage for debrief of any given individual’s performance. The more a servicemember experiences these scenarios, the better he or she will become at making quick decisions.

 

Service members out in the field experience a wide range of unpredictable situations. Because of this, it may seem impossible to train based on real-life experience, but this is not the case. Simulators can provide an incredibly realistic simulation of any imaginable situation in any environment, and when soldiers can learn by doing, they are far more likely to make the best decisions when faced with those scenarios in the field.

To learn more about how VirTra can help train your military squad, speak to a specialist.

As a way to ensure servicemembers are well-prepared for any given situation, VirTra’s subject matter experts and content department work together to create high quality, realistic simulator scenarios. Just one example of the dozens of scenarios focuses on vehicle traffic control point training.

Traffic Control Points (TCP), like their name suggests, are locations where military police control the traffic – but it is not just about telling drivers where to go and ensuring orderly flow. Soldiers and warfighters must maintain situational awareness during searches and in case of militant attacks.

The scenario shown in the video below simulates a Traffic Control Checkpoint where a search turns suddenly escalates and an enemy militant opens fire on the student and their squad. This military training scenario allows trainees to understand how quickly situations can turn deadly and how to provide cover for fellow soldiers.

In addition to TCP training, soldiers and warfighters also have access to scenarios for Key Leader Engagement, Combat Training, Green on Blue, Active Threats and much more. Marksmanship is also an important focus, as VirTra has ensured our customizable virtual ranges feature incredible ballistic accuracy so skills transfer properly to the field. Combined with our durable recoil kits and CO2 magazines that fit right into a soldier’s duty weapon, VirTra’s training is the perfect supplement to live-fire.

To learn more about how VirTra can provide intense, realistic and effective training for servicemembers, contact a specialist today.

VirTra is proud to create training systems that prepare military servicemembers for real-life incidents, just as with law enforcement. Thousands of hours have been spent engineering, planning, testing and creating state-of-the-art training simulators that ensure soldiers are best able to better protect our country and return home safely.

While we could write a long article describing how these simulators immerse servicemembers visually and auditorily, create high-stress situations, and help hone specific skills, VirTra believes in showing. After all, seeing training in action is significantly more powerful than reading about it. Not to mention, VirTra is proud to show our work and prove our statements.

The objective behind the scenario below is for servicemembers to learn to identify key characteristics in body language and facial cues. This ability is crucial, as subtle changes in a situation can help servicemembers prepare and react appropriately for a better outcome.

Furthermore, this scenario is about a soldier conducting a Key Leader Engagement with a village elder, looking for information regarding a high-value target. With that bit of backstory, soldiers enter the scenario and must react to the unfolding situation. Watch it below and take note of how these specific soldiers handle the situation.

Many trainers utilize the common red or blue training weapons. They are useful for training drills with trainees who have never used a firearm before; helping them become familiar with the weapon’s mechanics. It also allows both convenience and safety while training within a simulated environment.

As you may already be aware, VirTra typically provides recoil kits and CO2 magazines for use within our use of force simulators. This allows law enforcement trainees to use their duty weapons in the simulator by outfitting it with our CNC machined hardware. However, there are more options than this – besides the blue-colored training pistols, VirTra offers a patented M4/M16 non-gun.

The non-gun is a highly realistic laser replica rifle that is designed for simulator use that has an orange tip to mitigate real weapons brought into the training environment. Not only does it replicate the shape and size of a real M4 or M16 rifle, but it includes necessary and customizable functions such as:

• Toggle between auto and semi-auto fire, as well as safe mode
• 30 round capacity with the ability to remove the magazine
• Attachable sight, configurable stock and Picatinny rail

Having a training weapon such as the M4/M16 non-gun ensures safety within the police training room and gives law enforcement trainees a chance to make mistakes in a safe environment. It serves its purpose as a learning tool in both interactive scenarios and marksmanship practice, working with all of VirTra’s simulators and suites.

Additionally, non-guns can be cost efficient for agencies who do not want to spend extra money refilling CO2 magazines. While recoil kits and CO2 magazines are the most realistic option, they do involve the use of a real weapon and require refilling to maintain the lifelike recoil. If your department is on a tight budget and wants the safety of knowing the training weapon cannot be used to fire real ammunition, the M4/M16 Non-Gun may be a good choice for your agency.

For more information on how to add this customizable and effective law enforcement training tool to your belt, contact a specialist.