Vertex Solutions is focused on improving individual and organizational performance by expertly integrating the latest in learning science with innovative technologies. We're proud that for more than 25 years we've helped millions of students in hundreds of organizations learn faster, remember longer, and perform better.
December 29, 2021
AFGSC selects Vertex Solutions as one of two companies to help revolutionize B-52 training
Vertex Solutions, a leading provider of extended reality (XR) training solutions, was selected to develop a prototype for training B-52 pilots as part of a recent STRIKEWERX Challenge. Vertex Solutions is one of two companies selected to help revolutionize the way Air Force Global Strike Command’s B-52 pilots train.
Aerial refueling (A/R) is one of the most difficult tasks B-52 crews perform, it is also one of the most difficult to train. AFGSC is looking to small-footprint simulators with the fidelity to effectively train B-52 crews in A/R on the ground in low-risk, high-reps & sets conditions, optimizing student-pilot flight hours while significantly reducing wear and tear on operational aircraft.
Vertex Solutions will supply our XR Compact Aviation Training System (XR CATS) platform as the base for our B-52 A/R simulator. Because our XR CATS was designed from the start to be easily modular and reconfigurable, there’s greater than 85% hardware commonality between our other deployed fixed- and rotary-wing CATS trainers and the B-52 simulator, which significantly reduces both program costs and risks. This design commonality will allow AFGSC end users to benefit from future updates made to this system in support of Vertex’s many other customers.
Our B-52 CATS can be quickly configured as the left seat, right seat, or—when two CATS are used in tandem—both seats, with student-pilots utilizing a center console and single throttle quadrant linking both yokes, just like the real aircraft. As with our other CATS, our B-52 A/R simulator is software agnostic and provides seamless support and ready extensibility to current and future AFGSC training requirements and platforms, increasing ROI and decreasing lifecycle costs.
Vertex Solutions President and COO, Dennis Wikoff, remarked that “This contract provides the opportunity to showcase the extreme flexibility, utility, and versatility of our reconfigurable CATS design, delivering a simulator that provides a faster timeline from award to prototype at an affordable cost. We look forward to working with Global Strike Command on developing an affordable training solution that will allow B-52 pilots to learn faster and safer.”
About Vertex Solutions
A woman-owned small business that has been providing award-winning training support services to the U.S. Government and private-sector firms for more than 25 years. We specialize in integrating the latest in learning science, hardware, and software to produce the most effective training possible.
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