JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center is exploring a new way to better prepare combat support Airmen for future missions: the virtual Combat Support Training Range.
The virtual Combat Support Training Range, or vCSTR, delivers an on-demand, immersive, and interactive virtual environment that simulates real-world combat scenarios for training purposes.
“vCSTR is positioned to become a cornerstone of combat support readiness: a flexible, scalable, and future-ready training ecosystem that can grow alongside the Air Force’s most pressing mission requirements,” said Pitman Kennedy, AFIMSC Principal Innovation Program Manager.
Bridging Gaps with Virtual Innovation
Developed in partnership with Street Smarts VR, vCSTR enhances combat support readiness by supplementing traditional field exercises. Though AFIMSC continues to build out physical Combat Support Training Ranges to provide realistic environments, those facilities are limited by availability, travel requirements and resource constraints, said Maj. Tiffany Lewis, CSTR program office.
Virtual access helps overcome these limitations by increasing training frequency and flexibility, she said. While physical ranges are invaluable, they aren’t always feasible for repeated use.
“The system expands capacity. Not everyone can physically go to a CSTR site repeatedly,” Lewis said. “vCSTR allows Airmen to get in those extra sets and reps in a virtual environment.”
Training for Real-World Missions
The system immerses Airmen in dynamic scenarios, replicating the challenges of combat support operations in diverse environments. Initial modules focus on Air Force Force Generation 100–200 level training tasks and support Ready Airman Training and Air Force Unit of Action objectives in four key areas:
- Command and Control: Mastering communication protocols, making time-sensitive decisions, and coordinating resources under pressure.
- Integrated Base Defense: Conducting security assessments, responding to simulated attacks – including small arms fire, combined arms assaults, and drone threats – and practicing critical defensive tactics.
- Base Recovery After Attack: Executing post-attack reconnaissance, identifying and marking hazards, assessing damage, and coordinating casualty care in high-stress environments.
- Rapid Airfield Damage Repair: Evaluating damage to runways and infrastructure, prioritizing repairs, and executing techniques to restore operational capability under challenging conditions.
Initial Testing and Evaluation
Airmen from the 23rd Air Task Force recently tested the system during a training event Sept. 16-18. Airmen and leadership shared positive feedback, Kennedy said, highlighting the system’s ability to safely and effectively replicate complex combat support tasks in a scalable virtual environment.
“I found the vCSTR really beneficial for developing my multitasking and communication skills,” said Master Sgt. Cody Medsker, air transportation advisor for the 23rd ATF. “The simulation's demanding scenarios created a realistic, high-pressure environment that forced me to prioritize tasks effectively and communicate clearly under pressure.”
Following the delivery of several vCSTR prototypes to AFIMSC on Sept. 29, select units will conduct additional testing. If the prototypes perform well, vCSTR could enable more units of action to integrate virtual training into their Ready Airman Training cycles, supporting consistent readiness across the AFFORGEN phases, Kennedy said.
Looking Ahead
AFIMSC is exploring the potential for vCSTR to evolve into a credentialed, enterprise-wide training capability, Kennedy said. Built on an adaptive, modular model, the system can rapidly deliver new features and capabilities, including:
- Multi-User Concurrency: Expanding beyond individual use to large-scale, networked training events, connecting Airmen across units and career fields.
- Mixed Reality Integration: Leveraging augmented overlays and connected weapons/equipment for more tactile and immersive training.
- AI-Driven Adaptive Scenarios: Intelligent virtual role players and dynamic scenario generation that adjust in real time to Airman performance.
- Expanded Training Library: Covering all 12 Ready Airman Training areas, from integrated base defense to tactical combat casualty care.
- Persistent Proficiency Tracking: Capturing and credentialing outcomes for commanders, ensuring readiness is measurable across the AFFORGEN cycle.
- Joint and Coalition Interoperability: Supporting training with joint and partner forces, enabling broader interoperability.
“If testing proves successful and investment continues, vCSTR could scale rapidly across the Total Force, providing credentialed training at the point of need,” Kennedy said.