Approximately 13,000 participants from nearly 50 countries came together to make the annual Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) 2021 an informative experience with a full schedule of sessions, 400 exhibiting organizations and the latest in training innovation in Nov. 2021.  

The Navy’s Security Cooperation Programs Office (SCPO) recently awarded a contract to small business industry partner Tyonek Services Group, an Alaskan Native corporation (Tyonek), for aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) and training in support of the unique requirements of our international partners.

The Common Aviation Support Equipment program office’s (PMA-260) Lt. Cmdr. Wanda Colon was selected for the 2021 Admiral Merlin O’Neill Officer of the Year award by the Military Officers Association of America. NAVAIR’s Vice Adm. Carl Chebi presented the award to Colon in a ceremony held on 18 Nov.

The Navy’s Common Aviation Support Equipment program office (PMA-260) received the Department of the Navy Acquisition Excellence Sarkis Tatigian Small Business Award for outstanding small business contracting achievements during a ceremony on Nov. 4 at the Pentagon.

The acquisition excellence award is named after the DoD’s longest-serving civil servant, Sarkis Tatigian, who served for nearly 78 years! Sarkis Tatigian joined the Navy in 1943 at the age of 19 and passed away in 2020 at the age of 96.

The Navy’s Naval Aviation Training Systems and Ranges program office (PMA-205) is advancing increments II and III of the Undersea Warfare Training Ranges (USWTR), upgrading and expanding the capability of the training ranges.

In increment I, the USWTR team managed the installation of the ocean sensor and shore electronics subsystems located off the coast of Florida. Under Increments II and III, the Navy is upgrading previously installed systems at the USWTR’s other range locations in areas of the Pacific and Caribbean oceans.

The Navy’s Air Combat Electronics program office (PMA-209) avionics architecture team is creating an instructional video series providing answers to frequently asked questions and other insights on the topic of open systems conformance testing. As part of the Navy’s broader initiative to enhance capability and increase affordability, increasing understanding of open systems conformance testing advances the interoperability open systems provide.

The Navy's Naval Aviation Training Systems and Ranges program office’s (PMA-205) Tactical Combat Training System Increment II (TCTS Inc. II) and Advanced Naval Technology Exercise (ANTX)-21 teams conducted their first Live-Virtual-Constructive (LVC) demonstration in an operational environment last month. As part of the Navy’s broader initiative to enhance capability, the event displayed early LVC capability for the TCTS Inc. II system and included many “firsts” in naval aviation training.

The Navy’s Specialized and Proven Aircraft program office (PMA-226) recently delivered the first F-5N aircraft to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. to begin ground and flight test of the F-5 block upgrade prototype project. Aligned with the Navy’s strategic imperative of increasing capability and enhancing lethality, the newly redesigned tactical fighters will include features found on modern aircraft that improve both safety and readiness.

The Open Group Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) Consortium elected Amaka Chidozie, a member of the Air Combat Electronics program office (PMA-209), as the new business working group vice chair and the only Navy representative.

The Common Aviation Support Equipment program office’s (PMA-260) shipboard aircraft handler (SAH) was used in an operational environment for the first time aboard the U.S.S. Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in June.