Training for the battlefield -- in Orlando

ORLANDO (FOX 13) - On an increasingly competitive battlefield, technology matters. But only if our soldiers have the proper training to use it. 

A.V.T. Simulation in Orlando now offers that competitive edge. They integrate computer simulation training with real hardware used by the military.

In a sprawling facility near the University of Central Florida, there are row after row of modules containing exact replicas of anything from an Army M-1 Abrams tank to the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. They can ship these simulators anywhere in the world.

Brian West, who oversees close combat tactical training at A.V.T., believes the realism of the simulators can make a big difference on the battlefield.

"You get a bunch of soldiers on a desktop trainer, it's a game. But if you get a bunch of soldiers in a full-size simulator, things get real." West said.

A.V.T. also has aviation contracts. Apache gunners train with the actual helmet that moves the .50-caliber machine gun wherever they move their heads.

Real world training is dangerous and expensive, and some aircraft can cost over $10,000 an hour to fly. But A.V.T. president Kyle Crooks says the cost savings are tremendous.

"It's basically free when you compare the size of the two costs," Crooks said. 

A.V.T. holds over a million dollars’-worth of military contracts, and employs over 100 people, with plans to add to its ranks.

For information about careers with A.V.T. Simulation, visit: http://avtsim.com/careers/