Sundt has completed the U.S. military’s first fully computerized target practice range at Fort Bliss Army Post, Texas: a high-profile project called DAGIR, which stands for Digital Air-Ground Integration Range. The facility will be used to train U.S. soldiers and the armies of several U.S. allies for combat missions on the ground and from the air.
What makes the range unique is the fact that the targets are controlled digitally, which allows for the creation of unlimited combat scenarios. Sensors in the targets and the vehicles gather information that then becomes part of the review and feedback process. After soldiers complete a simulated mission on the range, they return to the After Action Review (AAR) building to view a recording and debrief with their superiors.
The $32 million heavy civil construction project included construction of 23 miles of tank trails, installation of 200 pre-cast concrete targets, and construction of six support buildings. The targets required approximately 11,000 concrete blocks, all of which were made by Sundt’s Concrete Division using an efficient assembly line approach that boosted productivity rates by more than 30 percent over what was originally projected.