The British Army is embracing a new era of training with advanced virtual environments. In a significant move, the Ministry of Defence has awarded a £2bn contract to a consortium that includes Skyral, a UK company specializing in creating intricate, layered models of systems and places. This technology aims to capture the second-order consequences of events, providing soldiers with a more comprehensive understanding of battlefield dynamics.
Modern armies have long recognized the value of virtual training. The US Army, for instance, launched America’s Army in 2002, a video game designed to model combat situations. However, the new generation of companies like Skyral is offering something more sophisticated: digital twins of real cities and battlefields. These models allow soldiers to train on the consequences of their decisions, from the impact of a missile strike on a crowded street to the effects of knocking out a power station during winter.
Skyral’s Digital Twins: A Game Changer
Skyral’s platform is designed to recreate entire cities and countries, providing a faithful and usable model of real-world environments. This approach is less about familiarizing fighter pilots with aircraft handling and more about training soldiers and tacticians on the broader implications of their actions. For example, if a missile strike hits a crowded city street, the population will flee. However, if that same strike disrupts a power station on a cold winter’s day, the population’s behavior will differ significantly.
While there is limited research on the effectiveness of such technologies, early studies suggest that service personnel who have trained on flight simulators perform better in real-world scenarios. Running simulations is also more cost-effective and safer than organizing live combat drills. This is why militaries are investing billions in these technologies, despite their limitations in perfectly replicating real-world environments.
The Evolution of Military Simulations
The ideas behind Skyral’s technology have been in development for some time. The UK will be one of the first militaries to integrate this technology deeply into its training programs. This move comes amid a broader public debate about the UK’s defence spending and its ability to address evolving threats.
Naomi Hulme, co-chief executive of Skyral, compares their platform to Fortnite on steroids. Hulme, who co-founded the company with Jason Kennedy, formerly of Raydon, joined after 20 years at BAE Systems. Skyral began with virtual worlds developed by Improbable Worlds Limited, a software company focused on gaming engines and the metaverse. Over time, they built a platform that integrates layers of information to create a faithful model of real cities and battlefields.
Power Size Technologies: Complementary Innovations
Power Size Technologies, another company working with the UK military, is focusing on virtual models of energy systems. These models range from the batteries in a tank to the solar panels in a desert camp. The company offers these simulations to militaries to help them decide how to electrify their equipment. This technology is particularly applicable to the military, where procurement is expensive and decisions are political and time-consuming.
Wiktor Dotter, the chief executive of Power Size Technologies, emphasizes the importance of connecting technology development to usability. He suggests that simulations can help the Ministry of Defence test new ideas, such as solar panels in the desert or hybrid battle tanks, without the need for expensive and time-consuming trials.
The Future of Military Training
Skyral’s value proposition lies in its ability to train soldiers on the second-order consequences of battlefield decisions. By building extensive models of real cities, such as Riga, Skyral allows soldiers to test decisions in a digital environment. This approach helps soldiers understand the full consequences of their actions, from logistics networks to critical infrastructure and human behavior.
As militaries around the world continue to invest in advanced simulation technologies, the British Army’s adoption of Skyral’s platform marks a significant step forward in military training. These technologies not only enhance soldiers’ preparedness but also offer a cost-effective and safer alternative to live combat drills.
