To keep pace with rapidly evolving threats, the US Army is turning to AI to accelerate the transformation of engineering designs into immersive military training simulations.
The service’s Capability Program Executive Simulation, Training, Test and Threat (CPE ST3) has launched a $450,000 innovation challenge to harness AI for automating digital engineering workflows within its planned Digital Enterprise Engineering Environment.
The challenge supports the broader Army Training Verse initiative, which aims to unify engineering tools, simulation platforms, and data services in a shared cloud-based ecosystem.
The resulting environment is expected to reduce fragmentation, improve interoperability, and create a digital thread linking engineering, testing, and operational training.
As part of the challenge, participants will develop an AI-powered simulation pipeline that converts engineering data, including computer-aided design files, Systems Modeling Language version 2 models, and parametric engineering data, into executable simulation content for military training systems and commercial game engines.
According to CPE ST3 Chief Technology Officer Marwane Bahbaz, the initiative will enable more immersive training by simulating “complex, modern battlefield scenarios” that combine live, virtual, and constructive environments to prepare soldiers for emerging threats.
Four-Phase AI Challenge
The competition unfolds in four phases, beginning with the development of a digital platform for managing engineering and simulation data before advancing to the AI-driven simulation pipeline.
It culminates in mission-focused demonstrations featuring Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) acting as weapons, hostile threats, and counter-UAS platforms.
In the final phase, the digital platform, AI-powered simulation pipeline, and mission data will be integrated into an end-to-end digital engineering workflow, demonstrating how the army intends to shorten the path from engineering design to operational training.
