Arizona Tribune - ForgeFX Simulations and MRIGlobal Expand Access to U.S. Army Drone Pilot Training for Biological Threat Detection

SACRAMENTO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / June 9, 2026 / ForgeFX Simulations has been awarded a U.S. Army subcontract to expand access to its CBRN drone pilot training simulator, used to train Army Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) pilots to detect airborne biological threats. Under the program, ForgeFX will convert its fielded Unmanned Vehicle Tele-Operation Training Simulator into a browser-based application delivered through the Joint Acquisition CBRN Knowledge System (JACKS), the Army's authoritative training and information channel for CBRN personnel.

The simulator trains UAS pilots, sensor operators, and mission commanders to remotely fly the Teledyne FLIR R80D Skyraider drone, detecting and collecting airborne biological contamination samples with the onboard MUVE™ B330 Continuous Biological Detector and Collector. MRIGlobal is prime contractor on the program, which is managed by the U.S. Army's Capability Program Executive for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (CPE CBRND), formerly the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND).

The web-based deployment addresses a central challenge in CBRN training: giving operators realistic, repeatable practice on specialized detection and reconnaissance systems without requiring constant access to dedicated training workstations or live-test environments. Training on physical CBRN systems is constrained by limited asset availability, high operational cost, and the risks inherent to live aerosol testing. Simulation-based training eliminates those constraints, while centralized hosting makes future updates and additions substantially easier to deploy.

"This effort is about removing barriers between the warfighter and the training they need," said Greg Meyers, CEO and Co-Founder of ForgeFX Simulations. "We're taking a high-fidelity simulator built around real equipment, real procedures, and real mission conditions, and making it available through a secure browser without local installation or specialized hardware. That changes the economics of military training and gives CBRN units a more scalable way to build readiness for high-consequence missions."

The simulator was originally developed by ForgeFX and MRIGlobal in close partnership with Teledyne FLIR, manufacturer of both the R80D Skyraider UAS and the MUVE^™ B330 sensor. Teledyne FLIR provided technical documentation and unclassified test data, and hosted ForgeFX engineers at the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah to observe live Skyraider and Nuclear Biological Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle (NBCRV) aerosol detection testing. The result is a training environment built to the fidelity standard of the real system, with the B330 sensor simulation responding dynamically to the drone's position relative to simulated contamination zones.

The training program walks learners through a five-lesson curriculum covering the full reconnaissance mission cycle, from UAS launch and waypoint navigation using the Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK) to aerosol sampling and post-mission close-out. An unguided capstone mission then presents a randomized contamination scenario and scores performance.

This release builds on a multi-year collaboration between ForgeFX and MRIGlobal supporting CBRN defense simulation for the U.S. Army. The two organizations previously delivered an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) teleoperation trainer for the same NBCRV program, followed by the full Unmanned Vehicle Tele-Operation Training Simulator that serves as the foundation for this effort. ForgeFX and MRIGlobal have also delivered the CBRND HoloTrainer, a mixed-reality device training suite for CBRN Special Operations Forces, under a separate engagement supporting CPE CBRND's Joint Project Manager for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Special Operations Forces (JPM CBRN SOF). Each program has built on shared technical foundations and institutional knowledge developed across the partnership.

^{Simulated R80D Skyraider UAS used in CBRN training scenarios}

About MRIGlobal

MRIGlobal is an independent, nonprofit research institute that delivers scientific and engineering solutions to improve lives, protect national security, and advance global health. Since 1943, MRIGlobal has performed customized research and development for government and commercial partners, including advanced diagnostics, chemical and biological threat detection and mitigation, engineering services, and mobile laboratory and transport solutions. To learn more, visit www.mriglobal.org.

About ForgeFX Simulations

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