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Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, or NAWCTSD
Central Florida Research Park will soon be home to another facility in the growing modeling and simulation compound. The new building will offer space to several University of Central Florida and U.S. military modeling and simulation organizations, including some high tech labs.
The July 10th, 2009 early morning ground breaking ceremony drew representatives from the State of Florida legislature, Orange County government, University of Central Florida, military leadership from the Navy, Army, Marine Corps and Air Force, and a variety of the 170 industry modeling and simulation companies that are rooted in Central Florida. As several speakers noted, the gathering provided the perfect opportunity for attendees to celebrate the importance of the group's collaboration.
In addition to providing space for the University of Central Florida and the military, the Partnership III building will house UCF's Institute for Simulation & Training laboratories and related modeling and simulation research. The $20 million 118,860-square-foot Partnership III building will also provide space for UCF's new high-performance computing labs as well as labs for research in physical and biological sciences.
The new building is a follow-on to Partnership I, which opened in September 2001, and Partnership II which opened in December 2004. Recognizing the continuous growth of the modeling and simulation business within Central Florida, the State of Florida appropriated funds for each of the Partnership buildings to stoke the business base and bolster the simulation industry which has become the largest cluster of modeling and simulation organizations in the world.
While Partnership III will bring state-of-the-art facilities to Team Orlando members, the latest building is a fresh reminder of the Central Florida academic/military partnership that began over twenty-five years ago, and the even longer Army/Navy partnership that began in the fifties when the two military organizations agreed to work together to produce training devices for the military services.
Originally, building the Team Orlando presence in the Central Florida Research Park was just a concept of the Governor, State Legislature and Orange County and Orlando City officials; and many of the same parties came together in the mid eighties to move the first shovels of dirt to make room for the deFlorez building which has housed the Navy and Army since that time. The relocation of these two organizations from the old Naval Training Center, and the collocation with the University of Central Florida's newly formed Institute for Simulation and Training became the foundation for the new research park. As these key elements (UCF, the Navy and Army) took root, the workforce began to work together, and the concept of building the world's largest modeling and simulation industry quickly became a reality. The resulting technology breakthroughs could be expressed in orders of magnitude as the partnership became a magnet for companies and organizations with a vision to join the vanguard for simulation and training. Key technologies and innovations that evolved from these partnerships have touched not only military training and operations, but have contributed to changes and advancements in education, safety, medical, entertainment and more.
Since that time, the original government partners have expanded to include several other government agencies (including the Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard) as well as non-government organizations that have chosen to be part of what is now a world renowned center of excellence in modeling, simulation and training. The new Partnership III building will provide the additional space to continue that modeling and simulation growth.
Rear Admiral Donald Gaddis, Commander, U.S. Naval Aviation Warfare Center Aircraft Division spoke for the military at the groundbreaking ceremony. He stated that what we have here in Central Florida is the envy of modeling and simulation clusters all over country. In fact, he said, "the collaboration here is unique in all of the Department of Defense." He continued by thanking (on behalf of all our warfighters) the community leaders and other members of the modeling and simulation industry for the technology and training systems that were developed in Central Florida.
Dr. John Hitt, University of Central Florida President, also spoke about the success of Team Orlando and how partnering amongst the organizations has been a key ingredient in the development of the simulation industry here in Central Florida. "You don't do partnerships because they are easy," he said. "You do them because they are better." The Partnership III building, and what it will house, represents the latest and best iconic celebration of the power and benefit of partnerships.
PR Contact: Mary Trier, 407-620-3357;
media@teamorlando.org
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