U.S. Army cuts ribbon on Northrop Grumman-built satcom training system
NewsApril 05, 2018
FORT GORDON, Ga. The U.S. Army officially opened a first-of-its-kind interactive training system -- developed by Northrop Grumman Corp. -- that supports the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellite communications program; the WGS constellation of military satellites delivers secure, reliable, and resilient communications worldwide for the U.S. and its partner nations.
WTCS-trained soldiers, according to Northrop Grumman documents, will soon staff the Army’s five Wideband Satellite Operation Centers (WSOCs) where they will manage satellite payloads, direct the actions of terminals accessing assigned satellites, control terminal transmissions, and continuously monitor the system to protect satellite communications and maintain the health of the WGS constellation. Soldiers training to manage and monitor WGS satellite communications (SATCOM) will use the Wideband Training and Certification System (WTCS) -- installed on workstations at the Army’s Cyber Center of Excellence in Fort Gordon, Georgia -- to apply classroom learning to simulations generated from real-world events.
WTCS simulates various subsystems SATCOM controllers use daily and creates virtual instances for training, with features including guided instruction, student-paced “free-play” in a simulated environment, and computer-based training modules. The system also features a learning management system to tailor and track training and a managed document and lesson repository.
Northrop Grumman developed WTCS for the Army’s Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI). The first class of WSOC operators to use the WTCS graduated in February 2018.
