On-site range commissioning provides a unique opportunity for ATS Software, Hardware and Technical Maintenance Engineers to see first-hand the results of their hard work while delivering pragmatic solutions to the user needs in the field.

Engineers are involved in every aspect of a project, from original design and development, to installation, integration, on-site testing, commissioning, training and official hand-over to the customer and ongoing system maintenance.

All our Engineers, Maintenance and Installation staff gather invaluable experience during the commissioning phase including seeing their design and development work functioning as planned culminating   with user events proving the range and commissioning it for use.

ATS have gained valuable experience through this process at ranges are all over the world where their hard work and dedication is tailored to unique environmental conditions and demanding user needs. This rewarding work also has the very human side effect of having our team experience a large variety of cultures and has built long-lasting trusted relationships with a global user base that has a history over many decades with many more to come.

For the past two years ATS has been engaged by the Queensland Police to design, develop, install and test the range precinct at the Bob Atkinson Operational Capabilities Centre. Over that time ATS has designed and delivered one of the most advanced indoor range facilities in the world.

ATS has provided the Technical and Physical Capabilities that provide Queensland Police entry level through to advanced shooting practices conducted in a safe and secure location.

Shooting Continuums form the fundamental basis of graduated steps that will ensure the competency of an individual who is required to carry firearms within a public domain whether in Australia or on Operational Service overseas. Ranges and Range Technology has sufficiently advanced to a state that provides, efficiency, accuracy and reliability for shooters to practice the basic “skill at arms” requirements.

The advent of the Projectile Location System (PLS) and Intelligent Visual Display Units (IVDU) during the 1970’s has provided efficiency in time and the accuracy required for long arms. The early PLS identified and plotted Super-Sonic Ammunition to within a two-millimetre margin of error. Until recently the use of handguns and sub-sonic ammunition natures on the same system proved to be more difficult.

The recent On-Site Acceptance Test of the Bob Atkinson Operational Capabilities Centre conducted by ATS Engineers demonstrated the capability of combining static, disappearing and reappearing targets with moving targets, that plot and highlight the fall of shot within millimetre accuracy. The key innovation provided by ATS and partner company Polytronic provides a shooter with the ability to transition from Rifle to Handgun, using both supersonic and subsonic ammunition, utilising the Projectile Location System (PLS) System to record accurately the fall of shot of both ammunition natures.

This innovation is the first Supersonic / Subsonic PLS System in existence and operation in Australia.

Queensland Police will be able to practice techniques whereby their abilities can be record, an individual debriefed thoroughly by their coaches and competency electronically measured for progression.

The successful delivery of the Bob Atkinson Operational Capabilities Centre is further testament to Australian State Government Agencies supporting niche market Australian business and Australian Industry Content.

To view ATS Queensland Police Range video CLICK HERE 

ATS continues to support the ADF with range design & upgrades, repair & maintenance, software development and technology advances within the Profession of Arms.

Australians supporting Australians.

Click here to the video link

The OSAT is the culmination of months of technical configuration and the physical work to install and commission the range and demonstrating the capabilities and handover to the client.

Using the required Shooting Practices, the OSAT will prove that the range functions as required to enable the customer to accept that the system performs in the manner it was designed.

On successful completion, the range will be handed over to the customer and the project enters the Defect Liability Period (DLP) which will run for a 12-month post-handover period.

As an activity the OSAT is where the ATS team demonstrate that their professionalism and hard work has delivered the approved system to the customer and that another world leading range system has been delivered on time and budget.

Simply put: ATS demonstrates Australians supporting Australians who serve in the Profession of Arms charged with the duty to defend Australia and its interests in demanding and complex environments around the globe.

Please be watching next week for the film release about the upgrade.

Testing and Commissioning is essential to demonstrate compliance with the customer’s needs. This application requires a disciplined approach along with a deep understanding of the context of employment. The system will ensure all components of the range (Advanced Range Operating System (AROS), Target Lifter’s, Projectile Location Systems (PLS), Intelligent Visual Display Units (IVDU), Lane Initiators, Moving Targets and communications sub-systems) are all functioning as required.

The requirements for the system are established early in the design phase and the training need of the customer drives this outcome.

For this range ATS demonstrated a capacity to conduct the Testing and Commissioning Shooting by supplying all required staff to support the tasks and in doing so was able to release dedicated Army resources normally required to conduct other essential tasks. Operating within an approved and endorsed framework these activities (which involved the application of live fire serials for the range) were conducted safely and effectively.

Successful completion the Testing and Commissioning phase is the springboard to the final step of the Onsite Acceptance Test and customer handover of the proven system.