JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
Editor's Note: This is part of a series highlighting the various advanced technology simulators available for training across Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
Whether it’s day-to-day duties or overall Warrior Tasks, U.S. Army Soldiers have various responsibilities, and one of those responsibilities is to be weapons-qualified.
The Engagement Skills Trainer is designed to simulate live weapon training to support and aid in weapons qualifications for the Soldiers of Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
“Soldiers can come here, hone their basic rifle marksmanship skills and become proficient,” said Robert Wiatt, Army Support Activity training support officer. “Then go to the range and shoot with real bullets.”
Like a real firearm, the trainer provides detailed feedback to the individual firing the weapon. The training weapons recoil when fired; the simulation can mimic different conditions such as night time firing, high wind conditions, long distances and moving targets.
The EST allows Soldiers to train year-round, no matter the time or weather conditions outside. Due to the realistic nature of the training firearms, Soldiers are able work on skills like muzzle awareness, weapon discipline, sight alignment, slow breathing and lowering their heartrate.
According to U.S. Army Capt. Kevin Bennett, Foxtrot Company, 1st Battalion, 210th Aviation Regiment, 128th Avn. Brigade commander, having the ability to train year-round benefits the Soldiers of JBLE because it allows more of them to be trained throughout the year.
“The time it takes to prepare and schedule the EST is minimal and you can get a lot of training benefit with a small use of resources,” said Bennett. “Because of that, the next thing you know, we can have 200 soldiers coming through in six hours ready for the rifle qualification.”
Though the EST is a simulation with no live firing, it is treated as if it were a real firing range.
“When you walk through the door there's no questions asked, you just walked onto a range,” Wiatt said. “This is not a videogame and every weapon is treated as if it is loaded at all times.”
While Soldiers primarily train with the M4, the EST has a list of weapons units can train with. According to Wiatt, if a unit at Fort Eustis has a weapon, EST will have a simulation for that weapon.
The EST not only provides training for the Soldiers but saves the Army money in the process. If the cost of a 5.56 mm round is 35 cents, that means the Army is saving 35 cents for each simulated round fired at the EST.
“Why train Soldiers at 35 cents a round when you can put them in here at no cost,” Wiatt said. “The EST allows them to shoot thousands of rounds and it doesn't cost 35 cents a trigger pull.”
While it is more cost effective to fire simulated rounds, Soldiers are still required to do their final weapons qualifications with an actual weapon and rounds.
With the ability to not only train many Soldiers quickly but to do so in a cost effective way, the EST enables the Soldiers of JBLE stay battle ready.