U.S. Army is moving key tech R&D team to Orlando
STE-CFT will move into UCF’s 84,000-square-foot Partnership IV building
The headquarters for the U.S. Army division that researches and develops high-tech training methods for its soldiers is moving to Orlando.
The Synthetic Training Environment Cross Functional Team – STE-CFT – will move into UCF’s 84,000-square-foot Partnership IV building, occupying the majority of the first two floors and a portion of the third.
The move is expected to be complete this spring.
“This is a huge deal because this is the future of the U.S. Army and Department of Defense training,” said Dan Holsenbeck, senior vice president for university relations at the University of Central Florida.
The building sits in UCF’s Research Park, a cluster of buildings that are home to several tech companies, along with the simulation arms of all of the military branches.
STE-CFT personnel will work alongside the U.S. Army’s contracting unit for simulation, training and testing programs, as well as UCF’s Institute for Simulation and Training.
“The long-standing partnership between UCF and the U.S. military grew stronger today,” UCF President Dale Whittaker said in a release. “Together, this research will contribute to our nation’s welfare and the safety and success of the men and women who defend our country.”
STE-CFT will move its lab, operations and 35 Army personnel from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
The move is “evidence of the Army’s commitment to partner with academia and industry simulation leaders to rapidly develop and field the synthetic training environment,” U.S. Army Maj. Gen. and STE-CFT director Maria Gervais said in the release.
The relocation of STE-CFT could represent a major milestone for the region, which continues a yearslong effort to stave off reductions in military bases.
The military periodically executes a round of what are known as “Base Realignment and Closures,” which is an assessment of building space and personnel in an effort to maximize efficiency.
That has not happened since 2005 but Florida officials have been actively building a case to stave off closures by buying a group of buildings, which means the military would no longer have to pay rent to a commercial company.
That effort has included more than $42 million in state money.
Holsenbeck said the new site for STECFT is another example of that effort to solidify the region’s hold on military personnel.
“This is the reinforcement of the value of the partnership,” Holsenbeck said. “It’s the value of this community working together to enhance our economy and provide jobs.”