Meggitt to upgrade British military training systems

SUWANEE, Ga., Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Britain's Ministry of Defense has contracted Meggitt Plc to upgrade its small arms, forward air controller and indirect fire training systems.

The three contacts awarded last month and in June are worth about $15.9 million, the company said.

Two of the contracts include an expansion of Meggitt's FATS M100 system architecture across the balance of the MOD small arms trainers, which supports the next-generation of military training systems and Meggitt's own simulated weapons selection training.

Included in the training system are marksmanship, judgment videos, traditional computer-generated imagery and third-party virtual simulation products.

Meggitt said simulation elements and enhanced software applications are being designed and made by Meggitt Training Systems in Suwanee, Ga., while logistics support for the British Army's Dismounted Close Combat Trainers will be provided by Meggitt Target Systems in Britain.

"Meggitt is committed to a continued, long-term partnership with the UK MOD, one of our most important virtual training system customers," said Meggitt Training Systems' Vice President of Virtual Systems Larry Raines. "As combat training requirements change and the consolidation of resources and manpower grow in importance, the UK MOD's investment in DCCT validates Meggitt's cost-effective and flexible growth path for evolving UK MOD requirements."