Sir Felix...not following you here.
Don't understand your comments as they relate to the two Brazilian articles posted earlier.
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"My point? The winning of the New Zealand bid over several larger companies is proof that Virtra's system has all the right parts. NZPD did their research. Not all foreign and US agencies will do this and end up buying the cheapest crap pitched to them.
Again, marketing is the key here. As the word gets out, more agencies will spec their needs toward Virtra products. More on this tomorrow afternoon." S.F.
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Neither the Brazilian government/articles nor myself (including probably anyone on this board with a working knowledge of the IVR system) would question whether Virtra has "all the right parts", as you write. It is readily apparent that Virtra handles a top-tier system, if not the best.
You write that NZPD did their research, yet Brazilian Gov't released 124 page white paper extolling the virtues of the IVR-360. Where's the Australian version? Believe me, BR did their research just as well, if not better.
Brazil is not buying the cheapest crap thrown at them. They are buying our stuff and buying into domestic development.
Obviously, they wish to buy what they make, on some level at least.
The first article states that Brazil just bought an IVR-360.
Not cheap. Also two more systems down the road, which is more than the Australia commitment.
The second, as i follow it, is that the Br. Gov't helped develop/fund? (through University & Federal Defender? of Santa Catarina) a single screen system for that city's police force. It was a two year project, involving $ and manpower to produce the system & scenarios for use by police and the military.
So the central issue contained in article number two is not whether the Brazilians have produced a system equal to Virtra's, it's that they now have, with gov't assistence, a homegrown version of a simulator which they will support. Read buy.
It would have been nice to review your take on this situation.
Personally, Brazil looks to be establishing a dual level of training, where domestic systems (like article 2) will eventually sop-up all the business that normally would go to local law enforcement, while more elite forces train on better systems. This is assuming the local system is not found to be wanting.
So essentially the AIS's/Ti-Training types would never be imported while the flow of superior systems continues....
That's one take at least.
As far as "Marketing", as you write, is not as crucial, as it pertains to this kind of scenario of "local boy" vs the "out-of-towner". Cost vs Benefit perhaps, but even with that it's tough to crack the good-ol-boy network.
And yes, throughout the world Virtra is marketing and getting the word out, and yes this is important, but this is oblique to the issue presented in these two articles.
Just so we are clear as to the second article, here's the translation am referencing. Feel free to comment based on this, or even another. No problem.
Look forward to further comments and your discussion on B. tomorrow.
pete
"SC police to train a virtual system of shooting
Program simulates scenes of gun crimes and has the same features used by the police
Felipe Pereira | felipe.pereira @ diario.com.br
The Secretariat of Public Security announced that Thursday the purchase of a virtual system of shooting that will be used to train police. The intention is that the number of shots in the course of the current 450 increases to about 3 mil.
Call Interactive Training System for Shooting, the simulator consists of a 150-inch screen that displays images from a stand of shots and scenes of crimes. The police training in a gun safe that has adapted the same weight, shape, size and impact of use by civilian police and military. A fire equipment and read laser beams emitted by the gun. The unit also has sound film. It is operated by software.
The simulator was developed by the Federal Defender of Florianópolis. The social director, Márcio de Castro, said they were two years developing the system. During this period, nine professionals, from engineers, software developers and designers have worked on the project that had support from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC).
The system will cost between $ 350 thousand and R $ 500 thousand, depending on the specifications ordered. The money will be disbursed through partnership with the National Security. The simulator should become operational in two months, time for completion of the bidding.
State will save U.S. $ 1.80 per shot with simulator
The Secretary of Public Security, Ronaldo Benedet, said the system costs less than half of a similar American and has the advantage of reflecting the characteristics Catarinense. The scenarios are the cities of the state and the people speak Portuguese. He stressed that this is a company based in the capital maintenance is much easier.
Benedet said also that there will be less consumption of bullets. Today, each shot in the police academy costs $ 1.80. The Secretary tested the simulator and said it is very similar to reality. He said that he felt within the scene and the adrenaline and the pressure rose."
AI
