What's New?

Fremont, CA (September 18, 2024) –   After nine years as a wholly-owned subsidiary of SRI, three members of the Ravenswood Solutions Inc. (Ravenswood) senior management team, led by President/CEO Kipp Peppel, purchased majority ownership of Ravenswood from SRI as part of a Management Buy Out (MBO), clearing the way for Ravenswood to become an independent small business. Ravenswood is currently working with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and APEX Accelerator to become certified as a small business under the guidelines of the US Small Business Administration (SBA). Ravenswood completed the MBO transaction with support from Lucosky Brookman LLP. 

Kipp is joined in the new ownership group by Marc Gimbel (Vice President) and Tony Hawkins (Director of Product Development). With this transaction, Ravenswood becomes the latest in a long line of spinouts from the influential Silicon Valley non-profit R&D Institute, known for ground-breaking innovations such as the computer mouse and Siri. Starting as the Instrumentation & Simulation group in SRI’s Engineering Systems Division, the Ravenswood team has been delivering expeditionary Time-Space-Position-Information (TSPI) technologies to the US Department of Defense and its allies for over 25 years, specializing in large-scale ground combat training systems and turn-key services. All three began their professional careers as SRI Research Engineers, working as technical contributors and managers across a variety of national security programs for agencies such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and US Army National Guard before transitioning to Ravenswood in 2015. 

"We are excited to launch this new chapter in our corporate evolution. As an independent small business, we will create new opportunities for growth and partnership that directly translate to enhanced capabilities for national defense and public safety” says Kipp Peppel. “We are grateful to SRI for the opportunity to take this important step and for the support they have provided to our team through the years. We look forward to maintaining a partnership with SRI to fulfill our mission to provide life-saving tools and realistic training to those who keep us safe and free.”

 John Prausa, former SRI Senior Vice President, recent Ravenswood Board member, and founder of Ravenswood Solutions, added “From R&D to development of innovative technologies to delivery of training systems and services, the Ravenswood team has achieved unparalleled excellence in supporting the training and readiness of military service members and first responders. Kipp and his team have a vision, strategy, and a commitment to carry this model of highly effective training well into the future. I am proud of what they have accomplished and excited about their future.”

Today, Ravenswood is actively engaged in major training programs for the US Army, US Marine Corps, British Army and others. With a foundation in R&D and extensive experience in fielding expeditionary training systems to the harshest climates on the planet, the team is committed to leveraging its new business structure to deliver even more value to its partners and customers. 

Nanukyi, Kenya (August 12, 2024) – As part of the Tactical Engagement System In Kenya (TESIK) programme, Ravenswood was awarded two Post Design Service tasks to enhance the TESIK capabilities: instrumenting Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise (CALFEXs) and adding simulated mortars for light role battlegroups that train in Kenya.

Ravenswood will provide a mortar training solution with a very high degree of realism for the crew and accurate representation into the simulated and live training environments. Created in partnership with Cole Engineering Systems Inc., the realistic mortar system is based on a training barrel that fires simulated rounds a short distance. These components communicate into the TESIK system and kill instrumented entities in the simulated impact area. The mortar simulates the 81mm mortar by matching in-service size and weight, assembles quickly and requires no alteration to tactical employment to create the most realistic combined training possible with no unnecessary or difficult artificial drills.

For instrumented live fire, Ravenswood will capture key data points to provide more analysis of collective live fire events. Ravenswood, working with Cervus Defence and Security Limited, will measure rates of fire, capture use of dead ground, identify exposure to unsuppressed targets and other data points allowing better understanding of success in live fire as well as comparison of marksmanship to training standards. In combination with the instrumented mortar, the TESIK system will now integrate simulated indirect fire with platoon and company live fire. Observer and mortar lines can now fully participate in CALFEX, with effect captured for AAR.

“These notable capabilities will add significant training value at every level. Progressive enhancements such as these demonstrate the benefits of forward leaning, proactive partnerships. We look forward to fielding both capabilities in just a few short weeks.” says David Cullen, General Manager of Ravenswood Technologies Kenya Limited.

ORLANDO, FL (June 27, 2024) – Team Ravenswood has been selected to partner with MARCORSYSCOM, PM TRASYS on the prototype development of a Known Distance Automated Scoring (KDAS) solution. This TReX II Program of Record aims to deliver more efficient, effective Annual Rifle Qualification (ARQ) for stationary stages of fire. In addition to automating the rifle range infrastructure, our team will implement analytics to enhance the assessment of Marine shooting and performance.

Team Ravenswood is a collaboration of three complementary industry partners — Ravenswood, Oakwood Controls, and Cervus – working together to help the United States Marine Corps (USMC) improve its marksmanship training. According to Kipp Peppel, President and CEO of Ravenswood Solutions, “KDAS is an opportunity to leverage Team Ravenswood’s extensive range and training experience in support of USMC marksmanship. We are excited to partner with Oakwood and Cervus to enable Marines to achieve their full potential in Annual Rifle Qualification.”

“Our system will modernize rifle marksmanship qualifications as we know it and provide Marines with a more efficient and accurate process for annual rifle qualification,” says proud Marine Veteran Bill Cox, Ravenswood’s KDAS PM. “Through cost effective range modernization, we will ensure adaptability to future training concepts, we’ll provide more efficient and accurate scoring, improving marksmanship skills and enhancing the lethality of Marine shooters.”

Orlando, Florida (June 2023) – Ravenswood Solutions, Inc. (Ravenswood) has been selected to participate in the development of the GCV Direct Fire Tactical Engagement Simulation System (TESS) for STE LTS in coordination with the STRI Agile Acquisition response (STAAR) team of PEO-STRI on an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) with Advanced Technology International (ATI) via TReX II.

The Ground Combat Vehicle Direct Fire TESS will leverage non-laser technology to enable GCVs to realistically replicate US weapon systems and OPFOR weapon effects as an augmentation to current VTESS systems.

“Ravenswood is excited to partner with PEO-STRI’s STAAR Team to develop a prototype solution that delivers more realistic training to the Warfighter” said Ravenswood CEO Kipp Peppel. “Ravenswood has a unique history of developing geo-pairing solutions to augment laser-based training systems. We are excited to bring this experience to bear on this important initiative.”

The Ravenswood product development team operates out of the University of Central Florida (UCF) Research Park Business Incubator in conjunction with Ravenswood HQ in Fremont, California. Mr. Peppel added “UCF has been an important and valuable partner in the expansion of our Orlando operations. We look forward to leveraging their excellent facilities and business network to execute the GCV OTA.”

“The views and conclusions contained herein are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies or endorsements, either expressed or implied, of the U.S. Government.” 

Laikipia, Kenya (Mar. 24, 2022) —  Ravenswood Technologies Kenya Limited (RTKL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ravenswood Solutions, Inc., supports the British Army and Kenya Defence Forces in their training at the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK) by providing Training Simulation Services. This support includes training exercises on instrumentation, weapon simulators, battlefield effects, and instrumented after-action reviews (I-AARs).

Since its establishment, RTKL has been committed to accelerating and achieving gender parity and inclusivity by encouraging women to venture into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Recently, the Company undertook recruitment for various engineering positions and onboarded four ladies who comprised 45% of our new technical recruits. Traditionally, the Defence sector has been viewed as a male dominated sector and Ravenswood and RTKL is proud to challenge this stereotype by Breaking the Bias surrounding women working in the Defence field.

As the World celebrates the contribution of Women in the month of March, RTKL chooses to celebrate and welcome our new team members for being frontrunners in our field. We at Ravenswood support, advocate for and take the lead in acknowledging women who are great at what they do and whose contribution to Ravenswood is unmatched.

Let’s #BreakTheBias

ORLANDO, Florida (Oct. 1, 2021) — Ravenswood Solutions (Ravenswood) announces the opening of its new Product Development Center (PDC) within the University of Central Florida (UCF) Innovation District at Research Park. This move expands the company’s engineering footprint beyond Silicon Valley and solidifies their commitment to being part of, and better serving, Team Orlando.

According to Ravenswood’s CEO Kipp Peppel, “We are excited to be here in the heart of the modeling and simulation community. We look forward to strengthening our partnerships through this unique intersection of industry, government, and academia to help solve the national security challenges of today and tomorrow.”

Principal Engineer Stacy Corcoran, the chief architect of the Ravenswood product family, will lead the new Product Development Center. Together with UCF, Mr. Corcoran will work to rapidly grow Ravenswood’s local engineering presence, with a focus on augmented reality, expeditionary networks, and data analytics. “I am eager to bring our technology and ideas from Silicon Valley and blend them with the rich experience and know-how of Orlando’s modeling and simulation community to develop better solutions for our customers,” says Corcoran.

Corcoran is joined in Orlando by Ms. Kathy Keyser (Ravenswood’s Director of Contracts & Procurement) and Mr. Rob DeGaine (Senior Program Manager). “You have to be there with our customers to help them know what you are working on that could benefit them,” says DeGaine.

About the UCF Business Incubation Program: The University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program is a community resource that provides early-stage companies with the tools, training and infrastructure to become financially stable, high growth/impact enterprises. Since 1999, this award-winning program has provided vital business development resources resulting in over 300 local startup companies reaching their potential faster and graduating into the community where they continue to grow and positively impact the local economy.

With seven facilities throughout the region, the UCF Business Incubation Program is an economic development partnership between the University of Central Florida, the Corridor, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia Counties, and the cities of Kissimmee, Orlando and Winter Springs. For more information, visit www.incubator.ucf.edu.

FREMONT, Calif. (February 11, 2021) — Today, the Ravenswood Solutions Board of Directors appointed two new members to the Ravenswood Solutions executive team.  Mr. Kipp F. Peppel has been appointed as President and CEO of the company following the retirement of the company’s founding President and CEO, Mr. Daniel Donoghue.  Mr. Peppel also joined Ravenswood’s Board of Directors.  In addition, the Board selected Peter F. Kuebler to serve as the company’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Mr. Peppel had previously served as Senior Vice President of Ravenswood’s Products and Services Division, where he directed all of Ravenswood’s client programs since 2015, when Ravenswood was established as a subsidiary of SRI International.  Mr. Peppel previously spent 18 years at SRI, where the core technologies for Ravenswood products were developed.

Mr. Peppel’s numerous contributions include leading the development of the FlexTrain instrumentation system, serving as a founding member of the US Army National Guard’s eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) program, creating and applying the company’s Training as a Service (TaaS) business model, and expanding Ravenswood’s business presence to the UK and Kenya.

Prior to joining Ravenswood Solutions, Mr. Kuebler held positions of financial leadership at a number of technology-based companies, most recently as CFO of Sentek Global in San Diego.  Prior to that, Mr. Kuebler held positions at ECG Management Consultants, Information Systems Laboratories, SAIC, General Instrument, and Titan Corporation, all in the San Diego, CA area.

“We are excited to have Kipp and Peter in new leadership positions at Ravenswood Solutions,” said Ravenswood Board of Directors Chairman Steve Ciesinski. “Both are proven leaders with established track records, and we have every confidence in their ability to steer Ravenswood towards continued success.”

Mr. Peppel received his BS in aeronautical engineering from Cal Poly and completed an Executive Leadership Development program at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. As an undergrad, he was a member of the debate team and winner of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) National Design Competition.

Mr. Kuebler received his BS in accounting from Loyola Marymount University and an MBA from the University of Southern California.  Mr. Kuebler is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and California Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Fremont, California (October 20, 2020) — Ravenswood Solutions has established two new subsidiaries, Ravenswood Technologies UK Limited and Ravenswood Technologies Kenya Limited, after winning a five-year contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to execute the Tactical Engagement Simulation in Kenya (TESIK) program.

Ravenswood created the subsidiaries to better serve both the UK MoD client and the TESIK program’s end user, the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK). Ravenswood Technologies UK is set up in Bath close to the MoD’s Bristol office, while Ravenswood Technologies Kenya is based in Nairobi near two BATUK installments.

“Our new subsidiaries will facilitate closer ties with the TESIK program’s stakeholders,” said Ravenswood President and CEO Dan Donoghue. “Through Ravenswood UK, we will provide better direct support to our MoD customer and be more accessible to our Europe-based subcontractors. Ravenswood Kenya will strengthen our relationship with the BATUK and our Nairobi-based training staff.”

Boise, Idaho. (March 25, 2020) — The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) presented the Above and Beyond Award to Ravenswood Solutions March 10th at Ravenswood’s Boise operations center.

The Above and Beyond Award recognizes employers at the local level who have exceeded the legal requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act by providing their Guard and Reserve employees with additional, non-mandated benefits.

ESGR representatives in attendance thanked Ravenswood for its support of employed Guardsmen and Reservists in addition to Ravenswood’s primary function of supplying government agencies with technology and support services for combat training.

“Ravenswood takes great pride in having Guardsman and Reservists on our team,” said Ravenswood CEO Dan Donoghue. “We are honored to be recognized for our commitment to these employees and will continue to provide them with steadfast support.”

Fremont, Calif. (March 3, 2020) — The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MOD) has awarded Ravenswood Solutions a five-year contract to provide the British Army with tactical engagement simulation in Kenya (TESIK).

In collaboration with Swiss-based laser engagement systems provider RUAG, global logistics provider Agility, and UK-based engineering and technical services corporation QinetiQ, Ravenswood will provide British troops training in Kenya and other locations with instrumentation, weapon simulators, battlefield effects, and instrumented after-action reviews (I-AARs). RUAG’s laser-based, live-simulation system (known as Gladiator) will interface with Ravenswood’s instrumentation system (known as the Mobile Ground Truth System) to generate high-fidelity exercise data, track troops and vehicles over a large, remote training area, and produce I-AARs to improve training.

TESIK is Ravenswood’s first major contract with the UK MOD for turnkey exercise support and instrumentation services.

“Team Ravenswood is thrilled to begin building a strong, trust-based partnership with our new client, the UK Ministry of Defense,” said Ravenswood CEO Dan Donoghue. “We tailored our best-in-industry capabilities to meet the British Army’s training needs, and we are honored that they have put their trust and confidence in us. We look forward to helping the MOD achieve their desired training outcomes, as well as bridging our current capabilities to their future needs.”

* The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

Fremont, Calif. (October 11, 2019) – Ravenswood Solutions, an instrumentation provider for military training and testing events, opened the new location of its products and services operations center yesterday in Boise, Idaho.

State legislators, Idaho Guardsmen, and Boise Mayor David Bieter attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony which followed a Ravenswood technology demonstration.

By moving its products and services operations center from Fremont, Calif., to Boise, Ravenswood can better serve the Army National Guard—its largest client—with live exercise support and sustainment activity at the nearby Orchard Combat Training Center. Ravenswood’s corporate headquarters will remain in Fremont.

“Ravenswood Solutions is exactly the kind of company that we love to have here in Boise,” Mayor Bieter said. “Their support of the Idaho National Guard and the good jobs they’re bringing will help our community and nation thrive.”

Fremont, Calif. (September 4, 2019) – US Army Alaska (USARAK) has awarded Ravenswood Solutions (Ravenswood) a contract to provide support to the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division (4/25 ABCT) Culminating Training Event (CTE)—known as Arctic Anvil—at Camp Shelby, Mississippi.

Ravenswood will provide USARAK’s Arctic Anvil with exercise control (EXCON), battlefield effects (BFE), and battlefield immersion (BFI) support.  Ravenswood’s EXCON team will conduct exercise design, scenario development, orders production, and exercise synchronization; its BFE/BFI team will replicate indirect fires, improvised explosive devices, and battlefield obscuration.  The company will also provide civilians on the battlefield and role players throughout the training area, adding to the exercise’s realism and complexity.

Arctic Anvil will take place in October of this year and will prepare 4/25 ABCT for their upcoming Joint Readiness Training Center rotation at Fort Polk, La., in January of 2020.

Fremont, Calif. (March 25, 2019) – Military training instrumentation leader Ravenswood Solutions today announced it will be relocating the bulk of its operation from Fremont, California to Boise, Idaho in May of 2019.

Ravenswood will better serve its largest client, the Army National Guard, at the nearby Orchard Combat Training Center by moving the products and services operation center to Boise.  Live exercise support and sustainment activity will occur in this centralized hub.  Ravenswood headquarters will remain in Fremont.  As Ravenswood lowers operating costs, existing customers will realize savings and Ravenswood will expand its business to new clients in need of industry-leading technology and training services.

“This move represents a huge step for us,” said Patrick Young, Business Operations Manager for Ravenswood, “I believe everyone on board is excited about the opportunity in Boise.” Bob Pidgeon, Director of Live Exercises at Ravenswood added, “As with everything we do, we take into consideration the best interest of our customers.  This move will provide the Army National Guard with better access to our services and at a reduced cost.”

Fremont and San Jose, Calif. (March 6, 2019) – Ravenswood Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of turnkey military training and operational testing instrumentation systems, and GDM Electronic & Medical, LLC, an AS9100 registered contract manufacturing firm servicing the high-tech industry since 1983, today announced a strategic partnership that will more directly relate the technology design, manufacture and fielding processes for state-of-the-art instrumentation systems hardware.

Ravenswood and GDM have worked together for the last 15 years coupling Ravenswood’s product development and Mobile Ground Truth System (FlexTrain) exercise support with GDM’s quality manufacturing of Ravenswood’s signature product, the GPS and radio-based FREDI-2 tracking device. The result has been a history of unbroken success for the National Guard’s eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) program and various other high-tech military and homeland security evolutions worldwide. The teaming agreement will allow Ravenswood and GDM to approach current and new clients with customized best-in-class products.

With the defense industry’s recent focus on the supply chain security, Ravenswood’s choice of US-based manufacturer is a smart move. In a 2018 report to President Donald Trump, the Interagency Task Force in Fulfillment of Executive Order 13806 stated, “The defense manufacturing supply chain flows goods and critical supporting information through multiple organizations of varying size and sophistication to transform raw materials into components, subassemblies, and ultimately finished products and systems that meet DoD performance specifications and requirements. These supply chain operations rely on an infinite number of touch points where digital and physical information flows through multiple networks – both within and across many manufacturers’ systems. In today’s digitized world, every one of these supply chain touch points represents a potential product security risk.”

“Working with San Jose-based GDM to innovate and incorporate new technologies, we are able to mitigate risk to our customers and maintain the integrity of our products,” said Ravenswood Production and Training/Testing-as-a-Service Manager, Andrew Power.

“Our relationship with GDM has been a long, tried and true association that has ultimately been of significant benefit to our Army National Guard customer,” said Ravenswood CEO, Dan Donoghue. “The formalizing of this partnership with closer engineering and strategic planning ties will be of even greater benefit to a wider range of clients for both of us”.

“Our companies have enjoyed great success by working closely to rapidly develop and deploy complex systems that meet ever-evolving requirements,” added Grant Murphy, CEO of GDM. “I’m pleased our agreement enhances this model and broadens the services offered by both companies.”

Both Ravenswood and GDM’s corporate headquarters are conveniently located in the country’s technology epicenter, the San Francisco Bay Area. Ravenswood will provide engineering and other business support to GDM on non-Ravenswood ventures.

Fremont, Calif. (February 25, 2019) – The Army Contracting Command – Orlando (ACC-ORL) has awarded Ravenswood Solutions a $39.9-million sole source contract for the production of two brigade-sized FlexTrain instrumentation systems and a five-year license to use Ravenswood’s associated ORION software.

FlexTrain is a rapidly deployable, Global Positioning System-based instrumentation system that tracks vehicles, units and individual participants during training exercises or testing events.  Ravenswood will provide the Army National Guard with additional individual trackers for personnel and vehicles, along with the network hardware required to operate the system in areas as large as 80 x 80 kilometers.  Delivery of these systems will bring the total inventory under Ravenswood management to over 20,000 player units.

The Army National Guard will employ the ORION software during the next five years of annual eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) exercises nationwide.  ORION, the state-of-the-art software heart of FlexTrain, aggregates data from multiple live, virtual and constructive sources in a common operating picture for after action review by exercise leaders.

“Over 130,000 US and Allied troops have benefitted from FlexTrain-enhanced live training exercises and world class after-action reviews” said Ravenswood CEO, Dan Donoghue.  “We are proud that the Army National Guard continues to have confidence in us.  XCTC is a formidable program because of this instrumentation and associated services.  We have a close partnership with the Guard and after 20 years, we understand how they define a successful training exercise.”

Fremont, Calif. (August 29, 2018) –Ravenswood Solutions was awarded a $1.3 million contract in support of the US Army Joint Modernization Command (JMC), a subordinate of the larger Army Capabilities Integration Center (ARCIC), for communications support services during a Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) to take place this fall at Fort Bliss, Texas, and the White Sands Missile Range, N.M.

During the exercise, JMC will analyze current Army warfighter challenges and assess new capabilities and doctrine.

Ravenswood will provide support via its Mobile Ground Truth System (known to DOD clients as FlexTrain).  FlexTrain is a rapidly deployable, Global Positioning System (GPS)-based instrumentation system that tracks vehicles, units and individual participants during training or testing exercises.  The results are real-time casualty assessment (RTCA), a record of causal factors affecting capabilities changes, and a common operating picture that shows both live and constructive elements.

“This is our bread and butter,” said Ravenswood Project Manager Chris Mahana.  “We’ve trained over 130,000 troops with this technology, and we are proud to be bringing these services to the Joint Modernization Command.  Every project and client bring unique technology and operations challenges, but tailoring our system to those unique requirements is where we excel.”

Fremont, Calif. (July 26, 2018) – The U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command has awarded Ravenswood Solutions a $2.2-million contract for communications and test support services during U.S. Army Operational Test Command’s (USAOTC) review of the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV).

Ravenswood will provide support via its proprietary Mobile Ground Truth System (known to DOD clients as FlexTrain).  FlexTrain is a rapidly deployable, Global Positioning System (GPS)-based instrumentation system that tracks vehicles, units and individual participants during training or testing exercises.

USAOTC will conduct a Limited User Test (LUT) of the AMPV – a highly flexible vehicle designed to replace the Vietnam War-era M113 family of vehicles.  Testing of the vehicle is underway at Fort Hood, Texas, and will continue through Fall of 2018.

This contract represents the second time Ravenswood has been selected to deliver instrumentation and test services to USAOTC.  In early 2018, Ravenswood supported the Multi-Service Operational Test & Evaluation (MOT&E) of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program.  The $4.7 million JLTV MOT&E contract proved the success of Ravenswood’s new Testing-as-a-Service business model, which affords clients the flexibility of utilizing Ravenswood’s most up-to-date technology without an up-front investment or commitment to hardware maintenance and sustainment.

“Working with USAOTC has been great and we look forward to supporting future testing events for fielding of new equipment for the Military,” said Ravenswood Project Manager Brian Wright.

Fremont, Calif. (May 22, 2018) – Ravenswood Solutions recently completed its instrumentation support of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle’s (JLTV) Multi-Service Operational Test and Evaluation (MOT&E) at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif.  “This event demonstrated the value of Testing-as-a-Service to the U.S. military,” said Ravenswood CEO Dan Donoghue.  “Ravenswood Solutions is extremely proud to offer a sustainable, cost-effective and user-friendly solution to the test and evaluation community.”

During the JLTV MOT&E, Ravenswood integrated its Mobile Ground Truth System (MGTS, known to DOD clients as FlexTrain) with the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES) and the live-virtual-constructive environment to deliver a live common operating picture (COP), real-time casualty assessment (RTCA), a tactical analysis center, and an instrumented after-action review (AAR).  As part of its Testing-as-a-Service business model, Ravenswood was responsible for the setup, operation, maintenance, and termination of all instrumentation and network assets.   During the MOT&E, FlexTrain was tailored to collect data from personnel and assets on the ground and afloat in the Pacific, proving the system’s durability and seaworthiness.  Ravenswood made special adaptations to accommodate for a vast testing area, to include utilizing solar panels to power network towers in the remotest locations.

The MGTS/FlexTrain has been used for other test and evaluation applications by the Army’s Joint Modernization Command and other clients.  It can also be used for operations and performance assessment, but is most often deployed in support of Army National Guard training activity and has been used to train over 110,000 U.S. troops with real-time operations monitoring and high-fidelity AARs.

The MGTS is a rapidly deployable, time-synchronized, GPS-based system that tracks vehicles and personnel to the individual level, allowing operators to view the entire battlefield on a single COP.  It enables RTCA availability and generates reports of all MILES events (e.g., shots fired, misses and hits).

Fremont, Calif. (March 2, 2018) – Last week, Ravenswood Solutions exhibited the ability to collect time-stamped and geo-referenced data from a Local Data Storage module (LDS) during the Multi-Service Operational Test and Evaluation (MOT&E) of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif.  Whereas data for Ravenswood’s Instrumented After Action Reviews (IAARs) is transmitted live during an event via a handheld radio known as the FREDI-2, Ravenswood’s innovative LDS add-on module allows for the recording of data even when network jamming, unreliability, or unavailability is anticipated.

Ravenswood Solutions began providing support to the Army’s Operational Test Command in January, enhancing the field testing of the JLTV by providing irrefutable precision data.  The MOT&E will continue through the end of April and follows Ravenswood’s successful operations at the Concept Evaluation Event (CVE) in 2017.

In April, Ravenswood Solutions will utilize the LDS module for a second time at the Levels of Fidelity conference at the Swiss Land Forces Training Centre in Walenstadt, Switzerland.   In this exhibit, the Local Data Storage module will collect dismounted troop and vehicle data without the use of the Mobile Ground Truth System radio frequency network.  Data from individual LDS modules will be transferred to Ravenswood’s ORION software and aggregated with Real Time Casualty Assessment (RTCA) data from RUAG’s Gladiator system to create a common operating picture that displays time, position, and tactical events with DVR-like controls for use in an IAAR.

Fremont, Calif. (November 20, 2017) – Ravenswood Solutions and Lockheed Martin U.K. demonstrated new augmented reality technology designed to enhance training for forward observers, October 18th, at Defence Training Estate Salisbury Plain, U.K.  The demonstration connected Ravenswood’s Mobile Ground Truth System (MGTS) with Lockheed’s Joint Fire Training Simulator to combine virtual entities with reality in a 3D common operational picture. The augmented reality technology, originally developed by SRI International, provides forward observers the ability to see virtual opposing forces through virtual reality goggles and zoom in using simulated binoculars.

Using Augmented Reality technology developed by their parent company, SRI International, Ravenswood Solutions is pioneering Augmented Reality Training for Observers (ARTO) field applications that will harden the combat training system for repeated field use.

This technology can be used anywhere in the world and substantially lowers training costs by simulating vehicles, aircraft and munitions. Due to the expense of using real vehicles and munitions, this type of training was typically only available once a year and in specialized locations. Now, with this technology, the military can train wherever and whenever they want.

In terms of training Fires Observers and Tactical Air Controllers, Augmented Reality Training for Observers (ARTO) is invaluable.  Deployed to actual ranges, in austere conditions, operators can hone their skills in calling for Close Air Support (CAS), artillery, or naval gunfire, and Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC), when air assets, artillery, targets, or munitions are unavailable or their use is cost-prohibitive.  Bypassing legacy training’s requirement for actual ammunition, the training can be used on non-traditional ranges, such as an actual urban metropolis or a no-fly zone.  With multiple iterations, Fires Observers exponentially increase proficiency with each evolution.  Troops who once trained annually can practice regularly and troops who are not specialized Fires Observers or Controllers will be able to train for incidental fire support.  Finally, ARTO conserves financial and environmental resources while contributing to a safer, controlled training environment.

Fremont, Calif. (August 29, 2017) – Ravenswood Solutions has been awarded a contract to provide FlexTrain instrumentation for a Real-Time Casualty Assessment (RTCA) Communications Network Characterization at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif. The Accreditation Event will evaluate instrumentation to be used during the larger Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Multi-Service Operational Test and Evaluation (MOT&E), which is scheduled for early 2018.

The United States Army and United States Marine Corps are collaborating on the JLTV program to deliver a more survivable vehicle with a greater payload than the legacy Humvee.

During the JLTV Concept Validation Event (CVE), Ravenswood’s FlexTrain instrumentation system and its integration with the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES) and the Live Virtual Constructive (LVC) Environment will be tested to comply with Operational Test criteria.  Ravenswood Solutions will provide system set-up, operation, maintenance of all instrumentation and data collection, tear-down and delivery of an After Action Review for 20 entities during the CVE as a proof of concept for the larger MOT&E event.

The FlexTrain instrumentation system has been used for other Test and Evaluation applications with the Army’s Joint Modernization Command and other clients.  It can also be used for Operations and Performance Assessment, but it is most often deployed in support of Army National Guard training activity and has been used to train over 110,000 troops, with real-time operations monitoring and high-fidelity After Action Reviews.

The FlexTrain system is a rapidly-deployable, time-synchronized, GPS-based system that tracks vehicles and personnel to the individual level, allowing operators to view the entire battlefield on a single Common Operational Picture.  It enables Real Time Casualty Assessment (RTCA) availability and generates reports of all MILES events (shots fired, misses and hits).

Fremont, Calif. (November 20, 2017) – Ravenswood Solutions and Lockheed Martin U.K. demonstrated new augmented reality technology designed to enhance training for forward observers, October 18th, at Defence Training Estate Salisbury Plain, U.K.  The demonstration connected Ravenswood’s Mobile Ground Truth System (MGTS) with Lockheed’s Joint Fire Training Simulator to combine virtual entities with reality in a 3D common operational picture. The augmented reality technology, originally developed by SRI International, provides forward observers the ability to see virtual opposing forces through virtual reality goggles and zoom in using simulated binoculars.

Using Augmented Reality technology developed by their parent company, SRI International, Ravenswood Solutions is pioneering Augmented Reality Training for Observers (ARTO) field applications that will harden the combat training system for repeated field use.

This technology can be used anywhere in the world and substantially lowers training costs by simulating vehicles, aircraft and munitions. Due to the expense of using real vehicles and munitions, this type of training was typically only available once a year and in specialized locations. Now, with this technology, the military can train wherever and whenever they want.

In terms of training Fires Observers and Tactical Air Controllers, Augmented Reality Training for Observers (ARTO) is invaluable.  Deployed to actual ranges, in austere conditions, operators can hone their skills in calling for Close Air Support (CAS), artillery, or naval gunfire, and Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC), when air assets, artillery, targets, or munitions are unavailable or their use is cost-prohibitive.  Bypassing legacy training’s requirement for actual ammunition, the training can be used on non-traditional ranges, such as an actual urban metropolis or a no-fly zone.  With multiple iterations, Fires Observers exponentially increase proficiency with each evolution.  Troops who once trained annually can practice regularly and troops who are not specialized Fires Observers or Controllers will be able to train for incidental fire support.  Finally, ARTO conserves financial and environmental resources while contributing to a safer, controlled training environment.

Menlo Park, Calif. (May 16, 2016) — Ravenswood Solutions today announced it was awarded a contract valued at $32.9 million from the Department of the Interior to produce additional FlexTrain system components used in support of the Army National Guard’s eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) program.

Deliveries under this contract include 5000 FREDI-2 basic tracking devices and 300 Combat Service Support vehicle kits. Additional support equipment and subsystems include 21 Mobile Relay subsystems, two Network Operations Centers, a Mobile After Action Review Center, and three complete sets of logistics support equipment. All subsystems will be produced in accordance with the FlexTrain DIACAP Connected Authority to Operate recently granted to FlexTrain for the Army National Guard.

The XCTC program is a cost-effective, time-efficient solution for delivering combat readiness training to soldiers at or near their home stations, in accordance with the Army National Guard’s collective training strategy and the Army Force Generation model. The Army National Guard has used the XCTC program since 2008 to train 59 combat and functional brigades, and over 82,000 soldiers, at 22 different locations nationwide.

“We are pleased to expand our support of the Army National Guard’s eXportable Combat Training Capability Program,” said Dan Donoghue, President and CEO of Ravenswood Solutions. “The increase in availability of FlexTrain assets will permit even more soldiers to benefit from the combat readiness training offered by the XCTC program, and for the Army National Guard to achieve the tailored training outcomes they desire.”

An estimated 16,500 Army National Guard soldiers are expected to be trained through the XCTC program in 2016.

Menlo Park, Calif. – November 9th, 2015 —SRI International today announced the formation of a new wholly owned subsidiary, Ravenswood Solutions, which will provide military, homeland defense and other government and commercial organizations with market-leading technology and services for collective training, test and evaluation, performance assessment and policy analysis exercises.

Formed from SRI’s Instrumentation and Simulation (I&S) Program, Ravenswood Solutions capitalizes on a 20-year history of providing mobile, scalable, and live instrumented training and exercise support to a wide range of customers, including the Army National Guard, U.S. Army, Army Reserves, and other government agencies. Since 2008, the Ravenswood team has trained more than 78,000 personnel at 32 different locations. In early September of this year, it completed the training of more than 17,000 soldiers from 10 brigades of the Army National Guard in six locations around the country, providing realistic battle effects and comprehensive, after-action training debrief opportunities.

“Operating as a subsidiary is a win for our customers as we can deliver more competitively the same quality of service our government and commercial customers have come to expect while still benefiting from SRI’s world-class research and development capabilities and expertise,” said Dan Donoghue, president and CEO, Ravenswood Solutions. “Our guiding principle is ‘mission focused, field proven,’ and today’s announcement reaffirms our unwavering customer-centric approach to helping our clients achieve mission success.”

A core component of Ravenswood Solutions’ offering is FlexTrain, a tailored, turnkey training capability that can be delivered to any training arena, anywhere in the world, as “Training as a Service”. The system tracks vehicles and participants to the soldier level, allowing unit leaders to replay the day’s training scenarios and discuss lessons learned in instrumented after-action reviews with 2D, 3D, tactical audio and embedded handheld video within minutes of mission completion. FlexTrain is at the center of the National Guard’s eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) program and other client support.

John Prausa, Chief Operating Officer at SRI International adds, “SRI is very proud of the contributions the Ravenswood Solutions team has made to protecting the lives of those who serve our nation. The new subsidiary will continue this important work, while its structure will unlock new business opportunities in this country and across the globe and provide existing customers with the same level of leading-edge service and support they experience today.”