Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division

TheNaval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division(NAWCTSD) is an Echelon IV command of theUnited States Navy,reporting to theCommander, Naval Air Warfare Center - Aircraft Division (NAWCAD)atNAS Patuxent River,Maryland. NAWCTSD is located inOrlando, Floridain theCentral Florida Research Park,adjacent to theUniversity of Central Florida(UCF). The facility is a part of a larger military installation within theCentral Florida Research Parkknown asNaval Support Activity Orlando(NSA Orlando).

Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division
Active	April 1941 – present
Country	United States
Branch	Navy
Type	Research and development
Garrison/HQ	Orlando,Florida,U.S.
Commanders
Commanding Officer	Captain Tim James

The Commanding Officer (CO) of NAWCTSD, an aeronautically designated U.S. NavyCaptain,is also dual-hatted as the installation CO ofNSA Orlando.This results in a dual-track command chain, answering to the Commander of NAWCAD as CO of NAWCTSD forNaval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)issues, and to theCommander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC)as CO of NSA Orlando for installation-related issues.

NAWCTSD is the principal U.S. Navy center for research, development, test and evaluation, acquisition, life cycle program management and product support of all aviation, surface and undersea training systems, devices and programs for theU.S. Navyand all aviation training systems for theU.S. Marine Corps.It also provides interservice coordination and training systems support for theU.S. Army,U.S. Air ForceandU.S. Coast Guard,especially in those instances of similar platforms and systems (i.e.,USAF CV-22B Osprey,USCG MH-60T Jayhawk,etc.).

History

Robert D. McGuire memorial. Inscription on plaque reads:
NAWCTSD FITNESS TRAIL
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF
ROBERT D. McGUIRE
CAPTAIN USMC
1962 - 1995
"GUARDING HEAVEN’S STREETS"SEMPER FIDELIS!

The roots of the NAWCTSD reach back to April 1941 when then-CommanderLuis de Florezbecame head of the new Special Devices Desk in the Engineering Division of the Navy'sBureau of Aeronautics(BuAer). De Florez championed the use of "synthetic training devices" and urged the Navy to undertake development of such devices to increase readiness. In June, the desk became the Special Devices Section.

ThroughoutWorld War II,the Section developed numerous innovative training devices including ones that used motion pictures to train aircraft gunners, a device to trainprecision bombing,and a kit with which to build model terrains to facilitate operational planning in the field.

The Special Devices Section grew and became the Special Devices Division. In August 1946, the Division, at its newest home atPort Washington,Long Island, NY,was commissioned the Special Devices Center.

As what would later become NAWCTSD evolved and grew, it was aligned at various times under several different parent organizations within the Navy. In 1956, it became theNaval Training Device Center(NAVTRADEVCEN). Over a three-year period in the mid-1960s, the Center moved from itsLong Islandlocation to Orlando, Florida, taking residence as a tenant activity at the then-Orlando Air Force Base,that installation subsequently becomingNaval Training Center Orlandoin 1968 until its closure in 1999 pursuant to a1993 Base Realignment and Closure Commission(BRAC) decision.

In 1985, the by then renamedNaval Training Equipment Center(NTEC) became theNaval Training Systems Center(NTSC). In 1988, the Center moved from NTC Orlando to its present headquarters approximately 15 miles east of its former location and just south of theUniversity of Central Floridacampus. The main building complex named for its founding father, de Florez.

On October 1, 1993, the Naval Training Systems Center became today's NAWCTSD. In 2003, the command was briefly renamed Naval Air Systems Command Training Systems Division (NAVAIR-TSD), but has since reverted to its original name. In 2005, the physical facility and property was also designated as an independent base namedNaval Support Activity Orlando,making it the sole remaining active dutyU.S. Navyinstallation in the Orlando area. At approximately 40 acres in size, NSA Orlando is the second smallest shore installation in the U.S. Navy. However, it is surrounded by several "Partnership" buildings owned and maintained by the State of Florida and effectively leased at cost to various modeling, simulation and training (MS&T) commands of the Department of Defense, to include Army and Marine Corps commands, effectively increasing the military community to several hundred acres. The Air Force MS&T command in Orlando, theAir Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation(AFAMS), currently leases commercial office property immediately adjacent to, but outside the fence line of, NSA Orlando.

NAWCTSD remains a component of theNaval Air Systems Command,but continues to maintain a portfolio and lines of effort that extends beyond Naval Aviation, to include other activities of the Navy and is a collaborative partner with other DoD and non-DoD organizations.

Naval Support Activity Orlando

Sign outside Naval Support Activity Orlando

The land and main buildings on which the main NAWCTSD facility is located inside theCentral Florida Research Parkis a U.S. Government installation that was designated asNaval Support Activity Orlandoin 2005. Additional nearby buildings and facilities are shared in partnership with the Central Florida Research Park and the University of Central Florida and house otherDepartment of Defense (DoD)andDepartment of Homeland Security (DHS)activities, to include theU.S. Army Futures Command's Synthetic Training Environment Cross-Functional Team (STE CFT), the U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO-STRI), the U.S. Marine Corps Program Manager for Training Systems (PMTRASYS), theAir Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation(AFAMS),United States Army Simulation and Training Technology Center(STTC),Federal Law Enforcement Training CentersFLETC Orlando team and theVeterans Health AdministrationSimulation Learning, Education and Research Network.

As previously stated, the Commanding Officer of NAWCTSD is concurrently dual-hatted as the Commanding Officer of NSA Orlando. Command of the combined NAWCTSD and NSA Orlando is held by aNaval AviatororNaval Flight Officerin the rank ofCaptain,either anunrestricted lineofficer dual-designated as an acquisition professional (AP), or a restricted line aeronautical engineering duty officer.

Thegate guardianaircraft for the installation is aDouglas A-4 Skyhawk,BuNo 139931,inBlue Angelslivery.This aircraft was previously a gate guardian at the formerNTC Orlandoand was relocated to NSA Orlando in 1999, just prior to the former's closure due to BRAC. Another aircraft, anF/A-18A Hornet,BuNo 161597, is located on the west side of the installation and is painted in low visibility gray Fleet markings with NAVAIR and NAWCTSD insignia. During its operational career, this aircraft flew with both Fleet squadrons and the Blue Angels. It was previously located at the formerNaval Air Station Atlanta,Georgia and was relocated to NSA Orlando just prior to the former's closure due to BRAC.

See also

• Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation
• United States Army Simulation and Training Technology Center
• University of Central Florida research centers

External links

• Official website