10 Apr 2024

Babcock invests in the future of military driver training

Babcock has announced it is to invest in a research and development project to support the future of military driver training.

Military drivers need to be prepared for a wide range of situations, which can be difficult to replicate, for example, how to respond to a tyre blow out, varying terrains, driving at night or in foreign countries with unknown road signs.

Babcock has signed an agreement with VRAI, Novatech and Bohemia to investigate how technology can be used to create training environments at scale which are focussed on the user experience, insight intensive and can be used to train quickly, effectively and reach competence at accelerated rates.

Working with SMEs, academia and industry innovation partners, including the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) and Cranfield University, Babcock will explore how simulation and innovative modelling technologies can provide an alternative to traditional training methods, while helping to reduce environmental impact, costs and deliver training where it is needed.

Jo Rayson, Managing Director of Babcock’s training business, said: “There can be many challenges delivering military driver training, including how individuals maintain their skills once qualified, the availability of training platforms, or difficult to replicate operational environments. Babcock is investing in this project to investigate simulation as a realistic way of delivering this essential training capability, driving down costs and reducing the impact traditional training has on the environment.

“We are not tied to any one solution or approach. We are focused on finding the right answers, using the right technology and harnessing it for greatest impact at the lowest cost.”

Niall Campion, Managing Director for Product & Customers at VRAI, said: “At VRAI, we believe that data is the untapped resource in simulation training and have developed HEAT to turn this resource into actionable insights. We are delighted to be able to work with Babcock to bring this pioneering technology to driver training. By capturing structured training data, the project team will not only be able to assess individual trainee performance, but also that of the simulator in general, providing objective, actionable insights when considering the potential future impact of the research.”