The Canadian Army’s new Land Vehicle Crew Training System (LVCTS) project will deliver a system, including simulators, to provide better training on various vehicles, including the LAV-6. (Canadian Forces photo)
By David Pugliese
The Canadian Army is in the midst of modernizing its simulation and training systems, with a variety of projects on the go now and others much farther out into the future.
The main project in this area is the Land Vehicle Crew Training System (LVCTS) project. The cost of the initiative is between $250 million and $499 million, according to the Department of National Defence.
The project will acquire a virtual training system that will allow the crews of the main armoured combat vehicles to train as realistically as possible at the five major Canadian Army garrisons. Those garrisons are Gagetown, Valcartier, Petawawa, Edmonton and Shilo. Initial operating capability is expected by the Army in August 2029, with full operating capability in 2032.
The project will deliver the following: a training system consisting of a synthetic environment as well as simulators and learning management system that will enable soldiers to learn, improve and maintain their skills. Also to be delivered is purpose built infrastructure at the five main Canadian Army garrisons as well as a network allowing crew members, crews and groups of crews to train simultaneously. Long term contractor conducted support is included in the scope of the project. The systems will cover both individual and collective training from level 1 (crew member) to level 5 (combat team).
Not only will the project provide increased training, but the systems will also help reduce wear/mileage on combat vehicles, cutting back on sustainment efforts needed for those vehicles as well as fuel.
Public Services and Procurement Canada approved five teams of suppliers for the project. They included some of the main players in the country’s industrial base, including CAE, General Dynamics Mission Systems–Canada as well as Raytheon Canada.
Two of the largest defence firms in Canada, Rheinmetall Canada and Lockheed Martin Canada, have had their eye on this project for years, first putting together a strategic partnership in June 2020 to bid on the initiative. That has evolved into the group called FORC3, which represents some of the top companies in Canada. Those include Rheinmetall Canada (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu), Lockheed Martin Canada (Ottawa), the ADGA Group (Ottawa), Bluedrop Training and Simulation (Halifax), EllisDon Construction and Building Services (London), Paladin AI (Montreal) and REDspace Incorporated (Halifax). The team was recently joined by Calian Ltd of Ottawa.
The FORC3 team noted it is strategically positioned to offer the best training technology and develop Canada’s exportable, industrial, and operational capability. In addition, FORC3 partners currently operate more than 40 global training centres to Canada’s key allies, including NATO and the Five-Eyes Alliance.
“We are very excited and confident that our combined solution and experience represents a compelling value proposition for the Canadian Army” Pietro Mazzei, CEO of Rheinmetall Canada, said in a recent statement.
The Canadian Army is also overseeing other projects. Here is the rundown on those:
--Unit Weapons Training System (UWTS)
Cost: $100 million-249 million
This project will replace the current Small Arms Trainer (SAT) and deliver a networked, dismounted virtual environment to conduct technical and tactical training on all units’ weapons employed across a broad range of units up to the section level.
The project stated in August 2023 and is now in an identification phase. Request for proposals will be issued to industry in 2032. The Army expects initial operational capability for the new systems in 2036.
--Weapons Effects Simulation Modernization (WESM)
Cost: $250 million to 499 million.
This project will upgrade or replace live simulation equipment currently in use by the Canadian Army. Obsolescence, capability degradation, higher levels of joint and coalition training requirements, and technical advances are the main driving factors for this initiative. Options analysis is underway. A request for proposals to industry is expected in 2030, with initial operating capability set for 2032.
In addition, the Canadian Army is also planning for new Direct Fire Targets. That will cost between $20 million and $49 million. The initiative is to upgrade and replace current suite of remotely operated direct fire targets used to support individual and collective live fire training with static and moving targets that react when hit and employed in prepared, permanent infrastructure or on austere ranges. No dates for the initiative have been yet established.
Target suites are expected to be fielded in Wainwright, Petawawa, Valcartier and Gagetown. Those will include infantry and vehicle targets, static and rail movers for inert ammunition, portable Moving Target System for explosive ordnance, Light and Heavy Hostile Fire Simulators, Night Muzzle Flash Simulators as well as Static Infantry Targets.
