The usual customers for the military defense training systems made by Cubic Corp. are national armies and air forces, but it’s unlikely the firm will get more publicity for its equipment than it does this fall when the latest reality contest show, “Combat Missions,” debuts on the USA Network.
Besides contracting with Cubic for its MILES 2000 weapons training systems, the television network also hired the services of a Cubic consultant to teach the competitors and production staff how the system works.
“It was a real blast,” said James Kaura, a senior engineering technician for Cubic who spent eight weeks at the filming site in the Mojave Desert. “I’m hoping they’ll call us all back for the next season.”
Most of the participants in “Combat Missions” are former military personnel, including former Green Berets, Navy SEALS and members of Marine Force Recon, but they also include law-enforcement officers and SWAT team members. The concept is pitting tough, highly trained men against each other in physically and mentally challenging contests.
The producer of the series is Mark Burnett, who does the “Survivor” series. Rudy Boesch, the former SEAL who nearly won the first “Survivor” contest, served as the camp commander at the secret base called Camp Windstorm.
The war games on “Combat Mission” are a lot different from those that Kaura previously witnessed.
“When you’re out training with the military, and soldiers get hit, they simply get frustrated and lie down on their backs with their helmets off. In this series, you’ll see guys get a lot more theatrical, flailing their arms and yelling.”
Another key difference were the explosions and other special effects added by television producers such as adding external buzzers to enhance the MILES system during periods of heavy fire.
This isn’t the first time that Cubic military training equipment has made a splash in the field of entertainment. Its air combat system, along with the then-Miramar Naval Air Station and other parts of San Diego, were featured in the hit movie “Top Gun.”
