VR team lands rocket launcher training contract
VIRTUAL reality simulation specialist Vrai has secured a Ministry of Defence contract to provide a training system to a North East-based artillery regiment.
The Newcastle Helix-based firm, which also has a Dublin base, has been chosen for a pathfinder contract that will see it develop a tactical simulator for the Multi Launch Rocket System (MLRS), which is based in the 101 Royal Artillery Regiment in the North East of England. The £288k pathfinder project is funded by the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) 1st Customer Fund and will result in an initial MRLS Tactical Capability Trainer that simulates an MLRS cab so that training costs and carbon footprint are reduced.
It will be used by The Geordie and West Riding Gunners - the Royal Artillery’s Army Reserve unit in the North East, which is the only unit to hold, maintain and train on the armoured tracked M270 MLRS. The system can reach targets at long range with great accuracy.
Major Paul Spencer of the 101st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery said: “It has been really rewarding to work with local companies to deliver innovative solutions for our troops. The MLRS Tactical Capability Trainer (Pathfinder) system will work as a fully immersive simulator that will allow the MLRS detachments to conduct all their drills in a tactical environment. The ability to use data to improve crew performance and give actionable feedback will be a game changer.”
Niall Campion, Vrai managing director for customer and product said: “We believe that data is the untapped resource in simulation training and have developed Heat to turn this resource into actionable insights. We are very excited to be able to bring this pioneering technology, developed with the assistance of DASA funding, to our neighbours in the 101 Royal Artillery Regiment.
“By capturing structured training data the British Army are starting the process of unlocking the insights contained within it, providing the opportunity to develop smart, adaptive, AI powered technology in the future.”
Anita Friend, head of DASA said: “Vrai’s innovative simulation training system will help empower British Army MLRS detachments to engage in realistic training and gather data to maximise crew performance.
“DASA is thrilled to see the implementation of Vrai’s technology by end users, made possible through the DASA 1st Customer Fund, which enables defence to purchase pre-production prototypes from SMEs.”
The pathfinder project is the second piece of defence work for Vrai in recent weeks, and follows a contract with BAE Systems that will aid the training of fast jet pilots. BAE will use the Heat technology to create a simulator for a Hawk aircraft.