81 Driver Training Systems Deployed Worldwide
ORLANDO, Fla. – December , 2024 – XR Training (XRT) has successfully completed the worldwide fielding of 81 innovative Amphibious Combat Vehicle Driver Training System (ACV-DTS) simulators for the U.S. Marine Corps. Following the initial announcement of the production award in April 2024, this milestone marks a significant achievement for XRT, as well as the defense training industry as a whole, demonstrating the viability and necessity of rapid prototyping and rapid development methodologies to address the fast-changing needs of modern military training programs.
The Wave Warrior ACV-DTS, developed by XRT in collaboration with small business partners Talon Simulations, Theory Studios, and Enludio, is a portable XR-based training platform with 2DOF motion that realistically simulates complex ACV driving scenarios across land, surf zone and sea.
From prototype contract to full deployment in 18 months, this accelerated timeline was made possible through an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA). Collaborating closely with USMC leadership, XRT developed a working prototype in 107 days (3.5 months), secured the production contract within one year from concept, then produced and fielded the systems across six months.
Our team at Talon Simulations took the A3 Full Motion Simulator, a platform that has been widely used in commercial entertainment applications, and engineered it to closely replicate the look and feel of the ACV. This was done by taking 3D scans of the vehicle and creating replica shifter and marine propulsion controls as well as attachments that align with the measurements of the actual vehicle down to the centimeter. Because this is a mixed-reality platform, the real-world devices need to align precisely with the interior that the student will see in the virtual headset in order to prevent negative training.
Mass manufacturing began on April 1, 2024 with a scheduled rollout of 33 units in mid-July and the remaining 48 before the end of October. The fabrication team began by cutting and bending the metal for all of the units before focusing on welding, riveting, and powder coating the first 35 assemblies. Once these components were produced, electronics were installed, wired, and each system was fully assembled, tested, and quality inspected by the Marines at our headquarters before being approved to be shipped to each site. The initial 33 were formally tested and cleared during our first of three On-Site Acceptance Tests (OSAT) and then shipped to their final destination for installation during the week of July 22, 2024. We then helped provide thorough training to USMC instructors, assuring readiness for immediate use and were quickly back to work on the remaining units.
We organized the procurement of hundreds of components through dozens of vendors to be delivered according to our strict schedule with many quantities being aligned with the delivery timeline. This allowed our vendors to prioritize getting us the specific numbers we needed for the July shipment and then focus on the remaining components on a less stringent schedule. All of the hardware components were in hand by the beginning of August, and 32 additional units were ready for the second OSAT at the end of August. Three deployments were then activated simultaneously between September 16 to September 25 where we installed at three different sites. Instructor Operator Training took place at each of these locations while our team back in Orlando put the finishing touches on the remaining 16 systems that were approved during the final OSAT on September 24, 2024.
With this complete, the Wave Warrior DTS has now been deployed worldwide and has been fully integrated into the ACV training curriculum, equipping drivers to safely navigate the challenges of real-world scenarios with improved confidence and skill.
Over the next two years, XRT and its partners will continue providing maintenance, data capture, and engagement tracking for the simulators, enabling analysis of usage and effectiveness over time. The feedback and data gathered will contribute to ongoing software enhancements, “future-proofing” the system while maintaining responsiveness to evolving training objectives. More importantly, this ongoing support model keeps ACV operators equipped with the latest training technology to stay mission-ready.
“We are honored to continue supporting the U.S. Marine Corps in their pursuit of offering top caliber training for their Warfighters. As we advance into the next phase of the Wave Warrior ACV-DTS program, we will continue pushing the boundaries of what XR-based training can help them achieve for mission-critical readiness now and in the future,” said Neil Levin, CEO of XR Training (XRT).
“We appreciate the Marines putting their trust in our team to aid in the design and deployment of these high-quality training systems. We have built a strong relationship with XR Training over the past four years and have demonstrated the effectiveness of small businesses working together quickly and efficiently to provide low-cost training solutions on time and within budget. We look forward to integrating the latest innovative technology to provide top-of-the-line training platforms,” said Brandon Naids, CEO of Talon Simulations.