Defence Online

The British Army has partnered up with a software developer to test out virtual reality training for army recruits.

A new virtual reality training pilot has been created by Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BiSim) as part of a £1 million contract from the Defence Innovation Fund.

The Virtual Reality in Land Training (VRILT) programme seeks to recreate complex scenarios that are challenging to set up in training grounds, such as intense crowd control, firefighting, and buildings with enemy soldiers. These simulations can then be quickly reset, analysed in depth top assess performance, and adapted.

The army has previously made use of VR simulations but the new BiSim pilot includes innovations such as realistic avatars of fellow soldiers, mixed reality with real-world objects, and more immersive VR headsets.

VR eliminates the need for lengthy setups for training scenarios and is more cost-effective than attempting to recreate certain environments. It also ensures the safety of soldiers in training. Similar technology has also been used in medical training and by Police forces.

The £800 million Defence Innovation Fund, led by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, aims to develop cutting edge technology to improve military performance. Recent projects include a lightweight satellite which can be transported easily and expanded in space.

Brigadier Bobby Walton-Knight CBE, Army Head of Training Capability, said: “The Army has a reputation for world-class training which prepares our people for demanding and complex operations.”

“Our training continually develops and so we constantly look for the best technology to make it as effective as possible. Innovations such as Virtual Reality offer immersive and flexible training, and this pilot is pushing the boundaries to explore how we might make the best use of it.”

The Armed services have made other recent forays into modern virtual reality training. At the end of last year, RAF Odiham unveiled £53 million Chinook simulators and The Royal Navy uses Bridge Simulators which replicate complex missions and challenging weather conditions. After the entertainment industry, the military is the biggest user of VR technology.

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Defence Innovation Fund Ministry of Defence Training training system Virtual Reality

Post written by: Vicky Maggiani

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