The British army will be utilising advanced virtual gaming worlds for training, following a £2bn contract awarded by the Ministry of Defence to a consortium including UK company Skyral. These simulations are designed to help forces game out complex decisions.
Skyral's technology creates detailed 'digital twins' of real cities and even entire countries. These models incorporate layers of information, such as electrical grids and population demographics, to simulate the second-order consequences of events, like how a missile strike might affect logistics or civilian behaviour.
For example, a simulation might show how a population reacts to a missile strike hitting a crowded street, or how the same people might shelter differently if a power station is knocked out on a cold day. Naomi Hulme, Skyral's co-chief executive, described the technology as "probably a bit more Fortnite on steroids."
While modern armies have used virtual environments for decades, this new generation of technology aims to offer more intricate and layered models. The UK is set to be one of the first militaries to deeply integrate this technology into its training programmes.