Counter-IED Training in the News

Two recent stories featured the Mobile Counter-IED Interactive Trainer, or MCIT.
An article in Defense News describes the underlying philosophy of thinking like an insurgent that MCIT was built upon and explains how ICT’s contributions in video games, storytelling and mutli-media techniques helped their industry partner, A-T Solutions, realize their original design concept.  “They carry out a complex attack and think like the bad guys,” Todd Richmond, ICT’s project manager for the training system, said. “What are the terrain features for placing our device? Where do we put our guys? My spotter needs a line of sight and he needs markers. The triggerman has to be able to see when to trigger. My security guy has to be in a position so when the bomb goes off, he can provide secondary fire. Or they can do an RPG attack first and the IED second. The beauty of this not being computer-based is that these 18-year-old kids are all gamers. They understand pretty well how to conduct an ambush.”
Another story in Defense Systems calls MCIT, “more Hollywood than Fort Leonard Wood.” The article goes on to say, “ICT is making strides in counter-IED training, partnering with the military and industry contractors to simulate combat environments.  Movie set-inspired stages are housed in trailers that teams of trainees navigate. The trailers can be quickly deployed and set up almost anywhere.”
“In these [training scenarios], the MCIT is teaching themes and concepts, not just facts,” said Todd Richmond in the story.
Read the Defense News story.
Read the Defense Systems story.