TEL AVIV, Israel - At an infantry basic training base in the northern Israeli city of Regavim, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Europe District is overseeing a nearly $1.7 million, small arms firing simulator project designed to improve the capability and training of the Israeli military.
The plan seeks to construct a two-story, 900-square-meters facility that houses two simulators with control and organization rooms, in addition to technical and maintenance support areas.
"Right now, in order to do this training, they have to use real ammunition," said Dan Pearson, a resident engineer with the district's Israel Area Office. "This [simulator] allows them to do much more training, less expensively."
While live fire ranges provide a traditional basis to learn how to efficiently and effectively shoot a weapon, simulators can provide another means for troops to sharpen skills, improve accuracy, and train under various conditions that an instructor generates with the use of a computer in the control room.
The simulator uses real weapons that fire compressed air which provides the realistic feel of a weapon firing bullets without the expense.
Realistic training is not the only benefit of the new simulators. According to Yair Shani, a project engineer, the project provides more additional flexibility that improves the readiness of the Israel military.
"This simulator gives the soldiers an opportunity to practice during any time of the year. Before, they could only practice when the weather was good," said Shani. "Practicing here allows soldiers to train using different scenarios, under different conditions and everyone is safe."
As militaries around the world look for better, more cost efficient ways to stretch their training budgets, simulators provide a way to train troops effectively said Shani.
The simulator at Regavim is the second of its kind overseen by the district in Israel. Not long ago, Shamria, a base training base in central Israel, opened its simulator's doors.
Pearson said the Israeli military seem to appreciate having this type of training available.
"The day we turned over the simulators in Shamria, they [the Israeli military] started outfitting it," said Pearson. "And within what seems to be a week, they had it up and running and it's been extensively used ever since."
While the simulators help train soldiers in small arms firing, the district has also overseen other projects that meet the basic needs for the soldiers.
Since the late 1990s, the district has overseen more than half a billion dollars in construction and renovations projects in Israel. According to Pearson, the Corps has received additional requests to oversee more construction projects in the future.
Capt. Nathaniel Davis, deputy area engineer with the district field office, says projects like the simulator help to build a stronger U.S. and Israeli partnership. "We work well together and together we continue to build successful projects," said Davis.
Davis added that Corps' construction programs in Israel can be a challenge, with different regulations and languages, but we are committed to their projects and their construction needs.
"It's a win-win situation for everyone," said Davis. "We have a strong partnership built on trust and transparency on both sides."
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