Page 6 - Australian Defence Magazine July-August 2021

6 NEWS REVIEW INDUSTRY UPDATE
JULY-AUGUST 2021 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
WEAPON SIMULATORS HIT THE MARK
INVERIS Training Solutions has success- fully passed on-site acceptance testing for 14 Mobile Weapon Training Simulation Systems (MWTSS) and an additional 73 EF88 weapon simulators for the ADF.
The MWTSS has the same capability as the fixed WTSS, but in a single screen mo- bile configuration that will be deployed to remote locations around Australia, over- seas and on RAN fleet units.
An additional four MWTSS have been ordered and the currently fielded trial system will be refurbished to the current build standard then returned for use, pro- viding an initial tranche of 19 systems.
The MWTSS will be provided in mul- tiple configurations designed to cater for the needs of those units and regions receiving the capability. Every system will have purpose- designed Trimcast cases for air compressor, air cylinders, binoculars and ancillaries.
Operational units and RAN will receive the EF88 weapon simulator, also in Trimcast cases, with other systems be- ing delivered with F88 weapon simulators in the interim. Units deploying overseas or on fleet units will have a complete spare parts kit to cater for any maintenance is- sues whilst deployed.
ABOVE: Navy personnel conduct a live-fire serial at the Weapons Training Simulation System at HMAS Penguin.
FORCE Ordnance, a division of the Light- force Group of companies, has signed an agreement with Theon Sensors to manu- facture, assemble, test, distribute and pro- vide through-life support and maintenance of Theon Sensors products at its manufac- turing facility in Adelaide as early as 2022.
The agreement allows Force Ordnance the right to import, wholesale, supply,
distribute and promote Theon’s sensors in Australia. Theon will also be providing training to Force Ordnance for the repair and servicing of the product as there will be an obligation on Force Ordnance’s part for through-life maintenance and repair of the sensors if a deal is struck with the ADF.
Dependent on volumes, the core electron- ics from the products are planned to be im-
ported from Theon in kit form such that they can be assembled and tested by Force Ord- nance prior to sale, with through-life support and repairs conducted by the same team.
Force Ordnance was established in 2017 to develop Australian sovereign de- fence capability in the area of small arms and personal protection. The Adelaide- based business says it wants to become a major partner to defence and law enforce- ment agencies ultimately as a defence sys- tems integrator.
“The Lightforce Group comprises a range of wholly owned brands and strategic partnerships that Force Ordnance brings together to present a compelling Austra- lian solution to fulfil the Government’s sovereign capability objectives,” Lightforce Group CEO Al Jawhari said.
Force Ordnance has submitted a response to the Land 159 Lethality System project.
LEFT: Force Ordnance wants to become a ‘major partner’ to Defence.
The MWTSS replaces the Portable WTSS which commenced trials in 2006 and entered service as an interim solu- tion in 2014. MWTSS will be supported under the WTSS service support contract by InVeris, with instructor courses being conducted from June 2021, commencing at HMAS Penguin.
“MWTSS provides the highest levels of realism for marksmanship, judgmental, collective and call-for-fire training,” Andrea Czop, vice president of strategy, sales and marketing for InVeris Training Solutions, said. “These mobile systems will provide world-class firearms and tactical training capability anywhere the ADF is deployed.”
FORCE ORDNANCE SIGNS MANUFACTURING AGREEMENT WITH THEON
SUPPLIED
DEFENCE