Combat Training Centers Support

The Combat Training Centers Support line item (LI 1780MA6600) in the Army's FY 2026 budget is dedicated to supporting the Army's premier collective training environments: the National Training Center (NTC), Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), and Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC). The overarching goal of this program is to ensure that Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs), Joint partners, and supporting units are fully prepared to deploy in support of the Army's Sustainable Readiness Model (SRM). This is achieved by providing high-fidelity Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) training rotations that simulate complex, dynamic operational environments. These rotations foster the development of agile and adaptive leaders at all levels.

The Combat Training Center Instrumentation System (CTC-IS) is a central component of this line item. The CTC-IS is a comprehensive communications, analysis, and feedback system that creates realistic operational environments for BCT training. Its objectives include replacing end-of-life IT hardware, conducting continuous technology refreshes, and providing post-deployment software support to prevent system obsolescence. These investments ensure that the instrumentation systems at NTC, JRTC, and JMRC remain operationally relevant and compliant with Army and Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) digital engineering and software modernization strategies.

Another significant objective is the Opposing Forces (OPFOR) Surrogate Wheeled Vehicles (OSWV) program. This program focuses on the annual replenishment and technical refresh of unserviceable or damaged Civilian on the Battlefield Vehicles (COBV) and technical vehicles at each CTC location. The goal is to maintain a realistic and sustainable OPFOR vehicle fleet that accurately replicates adversary and civilian vehicles, enhancing the realism of training scenarios for rotational units.

The Independent Commercially Compatible Cellular Network System (IC3NS) is designed to finalize the installation of a cellular network at JMRC. This system replicates adversary cellular networks, enabling BCTs to train in information operations, cyber, electronic warfare (EW), and signal intelligence (SIGINT) tasks. IC3NS provides a closed-loop, commercially available communications infrastructure that supports realistic network exploitation and defeat training, aligning with the Army's modernization priorities for cyber and EW capabilities.

The Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Swarm Training Capability initiative addresses the Army's need to train soldiers to counter adversary use of small UAS in congested and contested air domains. This effort supports the procurement of UAS Swarm aircraft and related training products, enabling the development and execution of counter-UAS tactics, techniques, and procedures at the Combat Training Centers and the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center.

Other supporting objectives within this line item include the OPFOR Attack Aircraft Shoot-back Capability (OA2SBC) and the CTC Aviation program. These efforts provide instrumentation and communication capabilities for Light Utility Helicopters (LUH) used in observer/controller and OPFOR roles. They enhance the fidelity of air threat replication and exercise control during training rotations. The OA2SBC program ensures that both OPFOR and Blue Forces (BLUFOR) experience realistic air-ground engagements, contributing to improved and sustained readiness.