I/ITSEC 2022: Phoenix Defense targets US Army live range contract

Phoenix Defense has unveiled its new Stationary Infantry Target (SIT) for the US Army’s forthcoming Live Training Ranges and Combat Training Centers (LTRaC) requirement at I/ITSEC 2022.

The army has said that the LTRaC requirement will be a ‘build-to-print’ contract that it hopes will provide more flexibility in terms of procuring follow-on targets and the support and maintenance of in-service systems and ranges.

The requirement is managed by US Army Contracting Command-Orlando (ACC-O) on behalf of the Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation (PEO STRI), Project Manager, Soldier Training (PM ST), Product Manager, Live Training Systems (PdM LTS) and PdM Combat Training Center Instrumentation Systems (CTIS).

The SIT element is one part of the overall LTRaC requirement that also includes new IT equipment, Targetry Range Automated Control and Recording II (TRACR II) software and player units for Digitized Range Training Systems (DRTS). In addition, there is a requirement to provide IT equipment and player units for CTCs, Home Station Modernizations, the Joint Pacific Multi Range Complex (JPMRC), and Homestation Instrumentation Training Systems (HITS).

According to PEO STRI, the programme’s ‘scope will encompass the use of Government Owned Training Systems (GOTS), Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS), and Modified COTS hardware and software’.

The build-to-print concept represents a shift in targetry procurement strategy. ‘The construction and procurement of these new targets will allow the army more flexibility in target maintenance and less dependency on individual vendors,’ said Barry Clinger, Phoenix Defense CTO and SkunkApe Works director. SkunkApe is the company’s new ‘innovation laboratory’ in Orlando.

'The construction and procurement of these new targets will allow the army more flexibility in target maintenance and less dependency on individual vendors.'— Barry Clinger, Phoenix Defense CTO and SkunkApe Works director

‘We are proud to be one of the first industry partners to produce a fully functioning SIT from early design materials released by the army and look forward to a long future creating live-fire presentation devices to support our warfighters.’

Construction of the new SIT is a combined effort by Phoenix Defense’s manufacturing division located in Gilbert, Arizona and SkunkApe.

LTRaC is valued at over $500 million and the RfP is expected to be released in late 2023. Contract award is expected in Q2 of FY2024.

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