Central Florida’s
Modeling, Simulation & Training
Cluster
A Critical High Tech Segment of a Diversified
Florida Economy
Thomas L. Baptiste, Lt Gen, USAF (Ret)
President/Executive Director
15 September 2011
Overview
• Central Florida has grown to become the epicenter of the
Modeling, Simulation & Training (MS&T) Industry
• City, County & State Governments have promoted cluster
growth with political, infrastructure & educational support
• Orlando’s Research Park fosters collaboration & cooperation
between Academia, Industry & Government
• The MS&T cluster has a multi-billion dollar impact on
Florida’s economy
• Medical MS&T and other opportunities
are on the near term horizon
• Summary & Our Challenge
“All but war is simulation!”
• Simulation saves lives, money & time and is critical to the
training of our war fighters
• M&S technologies can also be used in planning, analysis,
engineering, and test & evaluation
• Research can be performed using simulation instead of
costly & often times damaging live or “real world” events
State of Florida support to grow the
MS&T Cluster
• M&S is a national “Critical Technology” with its epicenter in
Central Florida
• Support to the Industry cluster:
• 40 acres in the Research Park were given to the Navy to build
the DeFlorez Complex & create a MS&T Center of Excellence
• MS&T academic programs have been integrated in Florida high
schools, an Associate’s Degree Program was established at
Daytona State College (funded by the Florida High Tech Corridor
Council) & a Master’s & Doctoral Program established at UCF
• The State funded construction of Partnership I, II, & III buildings
in the Research Park (occupancy is 50% UCF & 50% DoD)
• UCF has developed a network of incubators to nurture start-up
MS&T companies & other businesses
The impact of Orlando’s
Research Park
• Adjacent to UCF—second largest University in the U.S.
• Home for the National Center for Simulation & UCF’s Institute
for Simulation & Training (IST)
• Home for the MS&T acquisition agencies of all the Services
except the Air Force
• Surrounded by a large cluster (>100) of MS&T companies
• Proximity facilitates synergy between Academia, Industry &
Government found no where else in the world
• Partnership, collaboration & teamwork lower program risk
and are good for America & the war fighter
• The State has stepped forward to fund force protection
measures to satisfy DoD requirements
MS&T economic impact
• Approximately 322 Florida companies & organizations
involved in MS&T*
• Employing more than 22,500 Floridians*
• Average salary $66,000*
• $4.5 B Impact on Florida’s Gross State Product*
• $7.8 B Impact on Florida’s Annual Sales Activity*
• “Team Orlando” Commands employ more than 2,800
military & civilian personnel in the Research Park
• Over 53,000 jobs impact on Florida’s employment*
*Based on a sampling/REMI Modeling of 122 MS&T Companies
in a 2008 study funded by Florida High Tech Corridor Council
Other major U.S. clusters of MS&T
Medical MS&T
• A bright future
• Potential for spin-off of 60 years of world class MS&T work for DoD
into medical MS&T applications
• Orlando’s Medical City, Expansion of Florida Hospital’s Nicholson
Center for Surgical Advancement & USF’s CAMLS
– Additional arrows in Central Florida’s Medical MS&T quiver
– Cluster of world class medical & training facilities will attract the
“best of the best”
– VA is building 60,000 sq ft Medical MS&T COE at new Lake Nona
VA Medical Center
– Central Florida is already #1 destination for medical conferences
Other technology transfer
opportunities
•
•
•
•
•
•
Education
Transportation
Homeland Security
Digital Media
Serious Games
Entertainment
Florida’s Modeling, Simulation & Training
Cluster Evolution
$
Military
Acquisition
Services
Simulation Industry
Products &
Services
Circa 1965
Florida’s Modeling, Simulation & Training
Cluster Evolution
Digital Media
Florida
High Schools
Serious Games
Entertainment
Graduates
Vocational Technical
Two Year Degree or
Certificate Programs
(DSC, SSC,VC)
Medical/Healthcare
Graduates
Graduates
State Universities
(UCF, UF, USF..)
Graduates
Transportation
Research
Homeland Security
Graduates
Research
Space Exploration
$
Military
Acquisition
Services
Education
Simulation Industry
Products &
Services
Products &
Services
Environmental
Nuclear Power
2011
Commercial Airlines
Summary
• MS&T technologies support the war fighter & save lives
• Simulation is one reason America’s war fighters are the most
capable & best trained in the world!
• MS&T represents a significant economic impact throughout
Florida
• There is every reason why the future epicenter of medical MS&T
should also be in Central Florida
• Other market opportunities are emerging for MS&T technologies
Our Challenge
To Attract, Grow, Maintain &
Enhance
The Modeling, Simulation & Training Industry in
Central Florida