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The modeling, simulation and training (MS&T) industry in
Metro Orlando was launched in the mid-1960s when the Naval Training
Systems Center relocated to the region from Long Island, NY. Since
that time, the industry in Metro Orlando has grown to include 100+
companies, which specialize in a variety of applications from
entertainment to emergency preparedness to transportation
planning.
This region is home to the Naval Air Warfare
Center Training Systems Division (NAWC TSD), the Army’s Program
Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation (PEO
STRI), which together form the core of the “Team Orlando”
MS&T sector in Metro Orlando. These organizations, along with
programs developed by the Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard,
represent a significant portion of our military’s purchasing and
operational support for their simulation and training needs,
attracting a great number of associated vendors to the region. As a
result, Team Orlando annually accounts for more than $5 billion in
Department of Defense contract awards.
Team Orlando is a partnership comprising military services,
industry and academia that works to leverage resources and
contribute to the overall security of the U.S. The modeling and
simulation technologies developed and supported in Orlando have
proven to be essential in training warfighters and testing their
combat systems.
Team Orlando is also taking on expanded roles in homeland security
and the global war on terrorism. Examples of technologies, products
and services led by Team Orlando include:
- Mobile military operations in urban terrain
- Combat trauma patient simulator
- AV-8B Radar night attack weapon systems
- Virtual target and range system
Responding to the rapid rise of MS&T endeavors in the area,
the University of Central Florida:
- Established the Institute for Simulation and Training in
1982
- Began one of the nation’s first Master’s degree programs in
simulation and training systems in 1984
- Implemented a Doctoral program in simulation and training,
becoming one of the few institutions in the U.S. to offer advanced
degrees in the field
To combine the strengths and resources of academia, industry and
government, the Central Florida Research Park was developed in the
1970s. Located adjacent to UCF, the Research Park is one of the
world’s top 10 and comprises more than 100 high tech companies,
including several focused on MS&T.
The MS&T industry in Metro Orlando is also supported by the
National Center for Simulation, a non-profit
corporation committed to advancing simulation technology in this
region and across the country.
Additionally, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, located in
nearby Daytona Beach, is one of the country’s top aviation and
aerospace schools, offering prominent flight simulation and air
traffic control simulation programs. The university also offers
co-research opportunities to companies working within the
aeronautics field.
In 1985, the governor and cabinet of Florida issued a resolution
recognizing and endorsing a Center of Excellence for MS&T in
Metro Orlando. The resolution affirmed the continued development of
modeling and simulation technologies across a broad range of
commercial and military applications. |
