Orlando, FL. -- A defense unit of Cubic Corporation has received close to $13 million in contracts to design and manufacture turret crew stations for a new virtual trainer that simulates the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.

Cubic's Orlando-based Simulation Systems Division will initially supply hardware for 15 mobile and nine fixed-site Bradley Conduct of Fire - Situational Awareness systems to Oasis Advanced Engineering, prime contractor for the program. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in May 2011.

Under contract to the U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI), Oasis has options to deliver as many as 114 systems to train National Guard soldiers on critical combat gunnery skills over a four-year period.

The United States has deployed nearly 7,000 Bradley Fighting Vehicles since they were first produced in 1981. Intended to carry troops at high speeds or to conduct scouting missions, the tank-like tracked transports have specialized armor to protect the occupants, and are equipped with significant weaponry -- TOW anti-tank missiles, a 25mm cannon and a machine gun -- to suppress enemy troops and armored vehicles.

The Bradley trainers are part of an ongoing Army initiative to improve training and reduce risks on the battlefield.

"It's training that helps the Bradley Commander/Gunner team better prepare for the adversity of combat situations," said Mike Hoffman, program manager for Cubic.

Cubic's simulated crew stations will consist of high-fidelity physical components combined with a robust visual subsystem that provides FLIR, Day TV, and direct-optic views of the synthetic environment. Heavy Brigade Combat Team Gunnery Manual training methods and scoring are facilitated by the training systems.