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New Course Upgrades AFSOC Tactical Communications Training

Friday, November 21st, 2025

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. – Air Force Special Operations Command recently completed the second iteration of the AFSOC Tactical Communications Course at Hurlburt Field, Florida.

The tactical communications course is several weeks of a specialized training program designed to teach Air Commandos the skills and knowledge needed specifically to work communications for special operations missions.

“We needed a course to train AFSOC communicators on SOF-unique equipment and SOF employment for USSOCOM missions, and it needed to be a repeatable and sustainable solution,” said Chief Master Sgt. Robert Harris, AFSOC communications directorate senior enlisted leader. “AFSOC takes great pride in producing Air ‘COMMandos’ who are extremely competent, innovative problem solvers, and deliberate risk takers. This course provides that foundation for our warfighter communicators.”

The tactical communications course, which incorporated Airmen from all over AFSOC’s active duty, guard, and reserve wings, covers everything from USSOCOM network fundamentals and satellite communications to tactical radios and mission planning.

Communications in AFSOC and USSOCOM are uniquely characterized as being highly adaptable, redundant, and secure in austere, rapidly changing environments. Communicators must establish and maintain connectivity with limited infrastructure and be able to operate in a denied or contested electromagnetic spectrum.

“Due to AFSOC’s agile force packaging, members can be out in the field as the only communications technician,” said a course training manager. “We teach them multiple career fields and how to work on equipment they may have never touched before. That makes them a subject matter expert so they can get everything required done.”

The training also allows Airmen to more rapidly complete requirements on their career education and training plan.

“It can take more than a year for Airmen to complete all training requirements within their work centers, but this schoolhouse will cover 40% of those key competencies over a period of a few weeks,” said a course training manager.

The course serves as a force multiplier, advancing training so Air Commandos can fulfill duties at their home units and seamlessly transition to deployed environments, where they become even more mission critical to sustaining operations and generating airpower as part of the agile combat employment concept.

“Airmen return proficient with their core equipment and can quickly master their upgrade training- saving hundreds of man-hours in preparation for deployments and dramatically improving unit readiness.” said Harris. “Future expansion of the course should focus on integrating emerging technologies and capabilities for more realistic scenarios.”

AFSOC prioritizes deliberate development of Air Commandos so they can be adaptable experts within their operational environment.

Story by Capt Brandon DeBlanc

Air Force Special Operations Command

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Rheinmetall Receives Order to Modernise the German Army Combat Training Centre

Thursday, November 20th, 2025

Rheinmetall has been awarded a contract by the Bundeswehr to modernise its Army Combat Training Centre (Gefechtsübungszentrum Heer, GÜZ) in Saxony-Anhalt. The main objective is to integrate the ‘Digitalisation of Land-based Operations’ (D-LBO) project into the central training facility of the land forces. The contract was booked in October 2025 and is worth around €61 million gross. The first services will also be provided in 2025, with the full integration scheduled for early 2028.

The project will have a particular focus on integrating the new digital radio system into the combat training centre. Additionally, all data provided via the battle management system will be displayed in the centre’s command and control centre. Hence, the existing radio infrastructure will be upgraded and expanded extensively. Other components of the contract include establishing a new broadband radio infrastructure using 5G technology, and integrating the Tactical Core software from Rheinmetall subsidiary Blackned into the existing communications infrastructure.

Modernisation will enhance and institutionalize training and leadership capabilities of the Bundeswehr and its NATO allies for the future. A unique multinational interoperability in the training context is being created in the Altmark region.

Once the project is complete, the standard of training at the Combat Training Centre will be elevated to a new hight. The central evaluation software of the centre already offers the option of displaying language and position. Additionally, all digital command processes of the ‘Sitaware Frontline’ and ‘HQ’ systems introduced in the Bundeswehr will now also be processed in the central training software. This allows exercises to be evaluated more comprehensively for all participants.

By the end of 2024, Rheinmetall had won several major digitalisation contracts for the Bundeswehr. Notably, these include the contract to integrate all land forces’ vehicle and platform IT systems as part of D-LBO and the contract to establish and operate the Tactical Wide Area Network for Land Based Operations (TaWAN LBO). In addition, Rheinmetall has been commissioned to supply soldier systems for the digitalisation of infantry forces. The current contract is another important step forward in this context, as it makes the German Army’s unique European training facility ‘D-LBO-ready’.

Posted in Contracts, Digitization, International, Press Release, Training | Comments Off on Rheinmetall Receives Order to Modernise the German Army Combat Training Centre

US Coast Guard Solicits Potential Locations for Additional Training Center

Tuesday, November 18th, 2025

WASHINGTON — The United States Coast Guard, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, announced a Request for Information (RFI) and market research to identify prospective locations for an additional training center Monday.

The Coast Guard is conducting market research to identify facilities across the country that can be used to support projected service growth of up to 15,000 personnel. To address existing training space deficits and secure infrastructure to support increased throughput for recruit training, minimum requirements for a potential training center are defined as follows:

Lodging for 1,200 recruits
A dining facility capable of seating 400 personnel
A medical facility to support 1,000 personnel (minimum 200 medical encounters and 200 dental encounters per day)
14 classrooms sized to accommodate 30-60 students
An auditorium with a capacity of 500+ students
A pool with 6 lanes, 25 yards in length, and a minimum depth of 4 feet
A multipurpose gymnasium/athletic/sports facility suitable for sitting 1,200 personnel
Office space for 400 staff members
A land area of 150-250 acres
Proximity to a small commercial service or larger airport within 30 miles

Through the RFI, the Coast Guard released screening and evaluation criteria to evaluate those locations eligible for consideration. The Coast Guard is providing communities meeting the screening criteria an opportunity to submit potential candidate locations by responding to the RFI at SAM.gov. The Coast Guard is accepting responses to this RFI until Dec. 8, 2025. Additional information regarding the RFI and market research, including location criteria, is available at the Coast Guard’s Force Design 2028 website. Potential candidates will receive additional information from the Coast Guard as part of the assessment process, based on the approved requirements and evaluation criteria.

Earlier this year, Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, announced Force Design 2028 the Coast Guard’s bold blueprint for change to ensure the service is ready for the challenges of the future. By focusing on four campaigns – people, organization, contracting and acquisition, and technology – Force Design 2028 is transforming how the Coast Guard operates and shaping a more agile, capable and responsive fighting force. Growing Coast Guard end strength by up to 15,000 is a cornerstone of this transformation.

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Special Warfare Training Wing Launches First-Ever Zulu Course

Wednesday, November 5th, 2025

Chapman Training Annex, Texas — The Special Warfare Training Wing (SWTW) marked a historic milestone today as it launched the first-ever Zulu Course, a groundbreaking common skills training program uniting Air Force Special Warfare (AFSPECWAR) career fields under one standardized curriculum.

The Zulu Course is aimed at aligning common training standards across Combat Control, Pararescue, Tactical Air Control Party, Special Reconnaissance, and their respective officer careers. By consolidating critical early-stage training, the course strengthens interoperability among AFSPECWAR Airmen and enhances mission readiness for global operations.

“This course is the result of deliberate data-driven analysis and a shared commitment to producing the world’s most capable operators,” said Lt. Col. Benjamin Schmidt, Director of Plans and Policy for the SWTW. “The Zulu Course establishes a shared foundation for our operators from day one, ensuring graduates leave here with the same core skills, knowledge base, and mindset.”

Held at the Chapman Training Annex in San Antonio, Texas, the Zulu Course brings together skillsets that were previously taught at multiple locations into a single, cohesive program that’s focused on the basic skills of shoot, move, communicate, casualty care, weapons, advanced insertion/extraction skills, individual skills, and small team operations. The course is taught by instructors with operational experience across the AFSPECWAR enterprise, combining expertise from multiple career fields to deliver holistic training.

The name “Zulu” was chosen as based off the Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) system. Zulu is the phonetic alphabet code that denotes an AFSPECWAR Airmen, with the enlisted code being 1Z and the officer code being 19Z.

“This is a defining moment not just for the Wing, but for the future of Air Force Special Warfare,” said Col. Kaveri Crum, commander of the SWTW. “A tremendous amount of time and effort has gone into making the Zulu Course a reality. I could not be prouder of this team.”

The inaugural class will spend 16 weeks mastering the common skills curriculum before moving on to their respective advanced training courses. The lessons learned from this first iteration will help refine future courses to better deliver the skills that the operational field requires.

With the launch of the Zulu Course, the Special Warfare Training Wing continues to assess, select, and train, now with an even stronger and more unified foundation.

Story by 1st Lt Casen Salitore, Special Warfare Training Wing

Posted in AFSW, Air Force, Guest Post, Training | 3 Comments »

Cubic Awarded Canada Department of National Defence Contract for the Weapon Effects Simulation (WES) In-Service Support

Saturday, November 1st, 2025

Closing the gap in simulating realistic weapons effects during force-on-force field training exercises

SAN DIEGO – October 30, 2025 – Cubic Defense has been awarded a multi-year contract from Public Works and Government Services Canada, on behalf of Canada’s Department of National Defence, to provide live simulation support to the Canadian Army through Contractor Conducted Logistics Support.

The six-year contract provides logistics assistance to the Canadian Weapon Effects Simulation (CWES) program, supporting CWES live training at four Canadian Forces Bases: Gagetown, New Brunswick; Valcartier, Quebec; Petawawa, Ontario; and Wainwright, Alberta.

“We are honored to continue supporting the Canadian Army and appreciate this nearly three-decade partnership that will revitalize our live simulation training support to the CWES program,” said Alicia Combs, Vice President and General Manager of Cubic Ground Training. “This contract expands on the effort to advance the Canadian Army’s force-on-force training realism and feedback while reducing training costs.”

The contract’s logistics support package for the Canadian Army’s interoperable force-on-force system includes the multi-code Instrumented Harness Kit (IHK); Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle (TAPV), which utilizes Cubic’s Wireless Vehicle Kit (WVK); and Medium Support Vehicle System (MSVS) WVK and the Urban Operations Training System (UOTS). Combined, Cubic’s solutions deliver one of the most advanced live training capabilities in North America.

The original CWES contract was awarded to Cubic in February 2003 and modified multiple times to enhance capabilities to simulate contemporary weapons and their effects during force-on-force field training exercises. CWES enables soldiers to train the way they fight during combat operations and provides solutions that enhance a Commander’s after-action reviews in evaluating their tactics, techniques, and procedures.

To learn more about Cubic products and services, visit Ground Training Solutions.

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Varjo Launches Mixed Reality Headsets Purpose-Built for Training Across Air, Land, and Sea

Thursday, October 9th, 2025

Helsinki, Finland – October 8, 2025 – Varjo, the technology leader in military-grade virtual and mixed reality solutions, today announced a refreshed XR-4 Series, the first mixed reality headsets engineered to support mission-ready training across air, land, and sea. The refreshed model is purpose-built to close the gap between traditional simulation methods and the demands of modern training.

Originally launched in 2023, the XR-4 Series headsets are optimized to be integrated into cockpit trainers, vehicle simulators, or ground training systems, addressing the growing global need for scalable, safe, and realistic training. The compact form factor of the XR-4 Series allows complete systems to be transported for rapid deployment to training points of need around the world.

“We have worked closely with our simulation and training customers to understand the needs of broad-scale deployment, and the refreshed XR-4 Series is the result of that collaboration,” said Patrick Wyatt, Chief Product Officer at Varjo. “As a trusted partner in over 100 defense and aviation programs worldwide, including the U.S. Army’s Reconfigurable Virtual Collective Trainer (RVCT), we are committed to help scale training, enhance operational readiness, and better protect the lives of those who protect ours.”

Compared to the original model, the refreshed XR-4 Series introduces key hardware and software enhancements, including:

Fit and comfort for demanding training – A redesigned headband and slimmed rear counterweight ensure stability and comfort during pilot training or ground vehicle simulations. An optional chin strap is now available for added headset stability during dynamic exercises. A new front plate compatible with SteamVR™ tracking improves physical robustness.

Deployment-ready mixed reality for cockpits– Optimized autofocus passthrough cameras allow pilots to interact with real maps, checklists, and avionics inside real cockpits while remaining fully immersed in a simulated environment. Advanced hand occlusion allows users’ real hands to blend naturally with virtual objects and environments. A dedicated night mode allows simulating nighttime operations realistically. A new headset adapter significantly improves PC connection stability for uninterrupted training. Varjo also pioneers AI-improved passthrough with gaze prediction capability to further enhance immersion and reduce system load during high-intensity simulations.

Long-term operational support for large-scale deployments – Varjo backs the XR-4 Series with guaranteed hardware and software support through 2030, along with professional services for deployment planning, fleet provisioning, and on-site integrations.

Additionally, the devices carry over all the advanced mixed reality features of the XR-4 Series, including ultra-high-resolution visuals with 51 pixels per degree, 120° x 105° field of view, and 20+ mega-pixel stereo passthrough. Their tethered Windows-based architecture ensures compatibility with the graphics-intensive image generators and simulation software already in use by armed forces worldwide. One of the variants, the XR-4 Secure Edition, is manufactured in Finland, a NATO member state, and offered in TAA-compliant configurations with no wireless components for deployment in classified environments.

The refreshed Varjo XR-4 Series is available for industrial and governmental customers in over 40 countries, now including India and Turkey. Pricing is available by request.

Customer and partner testimonials

“At Rheinmetall, we are committed to providing armed forces with the most flexible and effective training solutions,” said Bartek Panasewicz, Head of Systems Engineering Land Simulation at Rheinmetall. “Our high-fidelity driving simulators with reconfigurable cockpits allow crews to train across multiple vehicle types within minutes, maximizing both cost-effectiveness and training outcomes. The capability provided by Varjo brings a new level of realism and scalability to our land crew training, enabling anytime, anywhere preparation that adapts to the diverse needs of modern militaries.”

“Varjo’s refreshed XR-4 Series lets us bring sensor-accurate, stereo, multi-spectral training into a deployable form factor that expands access far beyond fixed simulators. With Varjo’s mixed reality and our advanced 4D image generator capabilities, our customers can now train 4–10 times more pilots per hour. Varjo delivers the efficiency, scale, and realism modern training demands at the point of need.”

– Javier Castellar, CSO at Aechelon

“Varjo’s refreshed XR-4 Series devices are more than high-fidelity mixed reality displays. The technology is game-changing. The XR family facilitates the intersection of the real world and the virtual world, which is critical for next-generation training systems that require high performance with a minimal footprint. The new dedicated night mode helps simulate low-light training environments, while real-hand occlusion allows crews to operate checklists, weapons, and avionics with their actual hands naturally blended into the virtual scene. With XR, we can reconfigure air platforms on the fly — swapping various rotary-wing cockpits in the same compact footprint. The outcome is more reps, greater proficiency, and adaptive collective training in the air and on the ground.”

– Eric Carr, Program Director & Manufacturing Director for RVCT, Cole Engineering Services Inc.

Posted in International, Press Release, Training | Comments Off on Varjo Launches Mixed Reality Headsets Purpose-Built for Training Across Air, Land, and Sea

IWC Launches Its First Course on Irregular Warfare Approaches for the Homeland

Tuesday, October 7th, 2025

ARLINGTON, VA — The Department of War Irregular Warfare Center (IWC) announced the launch of its newest online course, Irregular Warfare (IW) 110: IW Approaches for Homeland Security and Defense, available now to homeland defense and homeland security professionals as of September 22, 2025.

According to national security experts, the U.S. homeland is under persistent unconventional attack in the ‘gray zone’ short of war from both threat nations like China as well as non-state actors such as transnational criminal organizations (TCO) and foreign terrorist organizations (FTO).

IW110 is a four-hour long self-paced virtual course about how the homeland can be better secured and how to defend the U.S. homeland using approaches such as countering threat networks, counter threat finance, and military counterterrorism techniques. Additionally, IW-110 explains how IW concepts like total /comprehensive defense, and countering hybrid threats can offer effective practices to establish a whole-of-society defense posture to increase resiliency against U.S. adversary activities in this gray zone.

The course is built with interactive courseware that integrates text, graphics, video and other media to enhance learning and encourage participants engagement. The course focuses on three objectives including Describe the current Homeland Security and Homeland Defense environment, identify irregular threats to the U.S. homeland from state and non-state actors, and examine the application of IW approaches/activities domestically to counter diverse threats to the homeland. The course includes five core sections and concludes with a final exam that must be passed to receive a completion certificate.

IW110 capitalizes on the IWC educational successes with the introductory IW101 course and advanced IW201 course, which have gained over 2,600 enrollments. This latest IWC course is specifically designed for Homeland Defense and Homeland Security professionals in the Department of War and interagency partners at the Federal, State and local levels. However, as an unclassified resource, it is also open to anyone interested in understanding how irregular warfare approaches can be employed to better protect our citizens and critical infrastructure.

This course helps realize the intent of the 2020 National Defense Strategy IW Annex to institutionalize and operationalize IW as a core competency for the U.S. military, as well as fulfill the Irregular Warfare Center’s (IWC) Congressionally mandated mission in Title 10 §345 “to serve as a central mechanism for developing the irregular warfare knowledge of the Department of War and advancing the understanding of irregular warfare concepts and doctrine” and “coordinating and aligning Department education curricula, standards, and objectives related to irregular warfare.”

Irregular Warfare 110 is hosted in two virtual offerings including the Center for Homeland Defense and Security self-study courses website. Registration and access information are available on our website irregularwarfarecenter.org/education/irregular-warfare-110

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Irregular Warfare Center

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Drone Busting: Smart Devices Work Together to Knock Out UAS Threats

Sunday, September 28th, 2025

FORT SILL, Okla. — What’s harder to shoot down than a small drone in the sky? Students at the War Department’s only joint training center for countering aerial threats will likely say it’s what they practice on — balloons attached to those small drones.

Drones can fly at racecar speeds, making them difficult targets to hit by an individual on the ground. At the Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft System University, located at Fort Sill, students use handheld smart devices to help them increase their probability of scoring a hit.

Known as the Dronebuster and Smart Shooter, these two handheld systems work in tandem as a layered defense that uses electronic and kinetic warfare to do the hard work for the shooter.

Students who attend JCU learn about various drones and the intricate service-specific systems used to engage with them. The Dronebuster and Smart Shooter, however, are two of the few used by service members on the ground, such as patrol members or personnel guarding installation towers.

So, how do these tandem devices work?

When service members are warned of a drone presence, the Dronebuster can be held up like a weapon to scan the area. Once it identifies a hostile target, the service member simply presses a button on the device to disrupt the target using electronic warfare.

Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-sUAS) University Instructor U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Alan Buhl and JCU Operators Course Supervisor Fred Hill talk about the smart shooter optic for the M4 and the JCU operators course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Aug. 19-20, 2025. (DoW video by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Madelyn Keech)

“It’ll start jamming the command and controls, severing that connection between the drone and the operator,” explained JCU operator’s course instructor Paul Bliefernich.

The drone remains frozen in the air. That’s when a second operator picks up the Smart Shooter, an optic system that attaches to a weapon to control how it fires.

“Typically, when you pull the trigger, you’re used to a gun going ‘bang.’ [The Smart Shooter] doesn’t do that,” explained JCU operator’s course supervisor Fred Hill. “It calculates, and then it shoots when it’s ready to shoot.”

“When [shooters] get to the target they want, they’ll hit the ‘lock’ button … and start squeezing the trigger,” Bliefernich explained. However, the weapon doesn’t immediately fire. Instead, its computer takes over and displays a set of crosshairs in the scope that the operator aligns with the target. When the computer decides there’s a good probability of a hit, it sends a command to the pistol grip, allowing the operator to complete the trigger pull and fire the weapon.

Bliefernich said it can take from a few seconds up to two minutes. “It’s doing calculations and taking a lot into consideration,” he added.

Since shooting down several drones per class isn’t cost-effective, JCU students mostly shoot balloons attached to drones. It’s a more challenging target, but with practice, it can make them a better shot.

“The balloons are harder to shoot than the drone,” Hill said. “Once the shooter gets toward the end of the training, we’ll put up the aircraft and let them shoot at the aircraft.”

“It takes a lot of time and practice,” Bliefernich said.

The students are also able to train on the Smart Shooter in the virtual reality lab beforehand, which instructors said is both cost-effective and safer.

“It’s getting the Soldiers, airmen and sailors familiar with the equipment before they ever come and start shooting on the ground,” said Army Sgt. 1st Class Alan Buhl, JCU instructor.

The school teaches Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines much more than just how to operate handheld drone equipment. Students also learn how to use various fixed-site counter-small UAS systems, as well as how to plan strategies, train others and better prepare their installations for future threats.

Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft System University became operational in 2023. Fort Sill is home to the Army Field Artillery School, the Army Air Defense Artillery School, the 75th Fires Brigade and the 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade, all of which have nurtured counter-small UAS strategies since the threat first emerged.

By Katie Lange, Pentagon News

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