Retrotecchie Ltd

Mike and Allan worked together for many years and were involved in maintainance and servicing of legacy products as well as the manufacturing, installation, commissioning and maintainance of the new Trenton range of products. Both played a part in the development of the Trenton Video Target Trainer (VTT), the 35mm slide-based Static Target Trainer (STT) and the Multimedia Target Training System (MMTS) and systems were sold to UK and overseas police and military clients. In conjunction with Dyfed-Powys Police in Wales, Trenton developed the interactive Firearms Incident Real Situation Trainer (FIRST) which introduced the concept of live action 'force on force' training in a firearms environment. The VTT and FIRST, in several incarnstions including multi-screen and wraparound three-screen format, was adopted by many UK and overseas police forces and military units.

In 2004 Trenton Technical Services became part of Advanced Interactive Systems (AIS) and, as well as manufacturing and supporting the Trenton range of equipment, Mike and Allan took on responsibility for the engineering support and customer service for the AIS PRISim interactive training systems. While Mike was more involved with configuration, testing, software and end-user training, Allan was heavily involved in both target screen systems for indoor range live firing, target control systems and radio remote controls for turning targets and the development of laser simulation weapons including the RAM Trainer, laser adaption of facsimile weapons and modifications to real weapons to develop gas recoil laser conversions. All the time, the two of them were still making trips all over the UK and overseas to install, repair and maintain not only the new products, but keeping many older training systems running.

Over the course of almost 30 years, Allan and Mike have worked together on training equipment from DETRAS, Trenton, RX Products, Jackcast, Caswell, Detroit Armour and many other police and military equipment manufacturers. During that time, their expertise as field service engineers has stood them in great stead for getting involved with a variety of other equipment completely unrelated to firearms training. The pair have subcontracted to many other companies in the audio-visual field, providing installation and repair services to education, leisure and businesses and government agencies as well as dealing with 'walk ups' - random enquiries for random things because someone found Trenton under 'Electronic Engineers' in the Yellow Pages!

In 2013, AIS were taken over by Cubic Corporation and became Cubic Range Design Services. Mike left the company shortly before the rebranding and formed Retrotecchie Ltd and moved to Wales. For the next six years Mike and Allan were still working together on projects - Allan working for Cubic and Retrotecchie subcontracting when required. Major projects we have collaborated on include the upgrade of the indoor firing ranges with both Targetmaster turning target systems and an 8 lane PRISim simulator for the Gurkha Contingent of the Singapore Police, the fitout of a multi-lane live fire range for the Judicial Police in Portugal and the installation and fit out of simulator systems for the police tri-force (Avon and Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire) Firearms Training Complex at Black Rock Quarry, Portishead. We have also been through several iterations and upgrades of the PRISim laser and live fire systems for Cleveland and Durham Police in the Tactical Training Centre at Urlay Nook and the Metropolitan Police Training Centre at Gravesend.

In August 2019, Cubic closed down their Wrecclesham office and amalgamated the division with Cubic Defence in Amesbury, Wiltshire. Allan left Cubic at this point and is now working with Mike as part of Retrotecchie Ltd, based out of Hedge End in Hampshire.