The US Department of Defense has awarded Ukrainian defense solutions developer Skiftech a contract to produce laser-based simulation technology for the army.
The deal is part of the service’s initiative to expand the utility of its existing Tactical Engagement Simulation Systems (TESS), which apply laser transmitters instead of ammunition for live weapons training.
Skiftech will work on the project until March 2035 in partnership with the Army Contracting Command in Orlando, Florida.
Funding for this effort will be drawn from a $921.1-million framework agreement, which also selected defense industry giants General Dynamics Mission Systems, Lockheed Martin, and Saab as TESS contractors.
Other Army Simulation Efforts
The US Army contracted QinetiQ in October 2024 to deliver its proprietary aerial target drones for simulation, engineering, and replicator applications.
Five months earlier, the service partnered with Sigma Defense Systems to manufacture a virtual reality ecosystem for intelligence practice operations.
The military in March 2024 partnered with Maxar Intelligence to supply immersive training software for warfighters. The same month, the army began testing new virtual synthetic training environments for indoor tactical training in Texas.
In January, CAE Defense & Security signed a contract to provide the army with simulators of the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft, a system that will replace the service’s Black Hawk and Apache Helicopters.
Then in February, the US Army demonstrated AI-enabled virtual marksmanship training for its special forces unit as part of a ballistics and arms qualifications program for troops.
