Army integrates new simulation technology into combat training

The Dismounted Solider Training System offers a cost- and time-saving supplement to field training.

The U.S. Army's research and development command is attempting to integrate the latest simulation technology into combat training, reported Breaking Defense. RDECOM hopes to improve the Dismounted Soldier Training System and use it to supplement traditional live training, particularly since sequestration has cut multiple Army combat brigade training rotations.

This will be the Army's first attempt to bring ordinary infantrymen into the virtual world, and DSTS will allow soldiers to practice the basics before moving on to a field exercise. DSTS outfits a nine-man infantry with wirelessly networked headsets that create a uniform virtual environment for every soldier.

The system can create complex scenarios that would otherwise be too costly or dangerous to perform in real life.