Fort Bliss tests new moving target system
Jun 25, 2010
By Maj. Deanna Bague
MCGREGOR RANGE, N.M. (Army News Service, June 25, 2010) - Soldiers from 1st Engineer Battalion, 361st Regiment, 5th Armored Brigade got their chance June 16 to participate in the first “proof of principle” live-fire exercise on a moving target that turned and adjusted speed along a hidden 350 meter track.
Called an entry control point moving target or ECPMT, the new system will allow Soldiers who train at Fort Bliss, Texas, to hone their target acquisition skills with rounds up to .50 cal., when reacting to a threat that penetrates an entry control point, said Bob Wilson, the range management specialist here. He also said a second ECPMT was under construction at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif.
According to officials, the ECPMT program comprises a vehicle target, engine hit sensor, Stationary Infantry Target that represents passengers, prime mover, Battle Effect Simulator and a controller.
“When personnel or units schedule the convoy live-fire range 37, they will have an entire package that includes an entry control point with an evasive mover and stationary infantry target that portray hostile individuals,” said Wilson.
The ECPMT is designed to replicate an entry control point training situation for live-fire, said Richard Haddad, the president of Meggitt Training Systems, the company awarded the contract to produce and deliver the ECPMT.
An understanding of targetry, said Haddad, experience on live-fire ranges, an integrated team for software and hardware development and a team of individuals who understand basic physics and mechanical applications were required to construct the scheme.
Haddad said the ECPMT was built from scratch by a core team of about six engineers and two technicians. Bobby Chung, the head engineer attended the live-fire test to look at the results, he added.
Wilson said Training and Doctrine Command Capability Manager for the Live Training Environment gave Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command the specifications and requirements to develop the system. Haddad said TACOM required the ECPMT to address conditions Soldiers may experience in theater.
“If you have a checkpoint or a hardpoint somewhere in theater, you’re going to have Jersey barriers … to protect that strongpoint or that checkpoint,” said Haddad. “And what we’re replicating here is either somebody trying to run that checkpoint with an [improvised] or a vehicle explosive device, or run the checkpoint for some other reason. As you go through the Jersey barriers, the aspect of the target changes.”
Haddad said the ECPMT allows Soldiers to train in a live-fire environment and shows them the difficulty of hitting a moving target with changing aspects.
“It’s a realistic situation as [an enemy] is coming into an [entry control point] and they start taking fire – they’re not going to come straight at you,” said Sgt. Carl Essary. “They’re going to ‘zig- zag,’ and on their approach they’re going to move in irregular patterns.” He added that the target movement makes it tough and challenging to engage.
“It’s a little bit more difficult than what you imagine it’s going to be – and I believe that’s good training,” said Essary. “The more we sweat here, the less we’ll bleed in combat.”
(Maj. Deanna Bague serves with Fort Bliss Public Affairs.)
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