SimCentric Virtual Reality Training Technology Delivered to Australian Army

Built on the commercial gaming engine, Unreal Engine 4, SimCentric's virtual reality training uses state-of-the-art gaming technology to provide cost-efficient, effective, and highly engaging training By Joseph Macey / 16 Jan 2023

Combat Convoy Simulators

Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
Follow DA

SimCentric has used funding from the Defense and Security Accelerator (DASA) to develop a virtual reality based-training system for military personnel, and following tests in the British Armed Forces, the system has been licensed by the Australian Army to evaluate virtual reality training applications.

Citing success and feedback from DASA and UK Armed Forces trials, SimCentric teamed up with Australian company Applied Virtual Simulation (AVS), to deliver SAF-TAC to the Australian Army as part of the Land Simulation Core 2.0 Program, which is designed to seek a suite of common simulation software to train military personnel in an integrated virtual environment.

SAF-TAC will be expected to underpin evaluations on where the Australian Army may apply VR in training. User evaluations are believed to be taking place at 7 regional locations across Australia to inform where VR systems can provide the greatest benefit.

Team-based training is believed to be essential for military personnel to improve individual and collective proficiencies, but is difficult to deliver in an effective and cost-efficient way. Because of this, virtual training is said to have grown in demand as a low-overhead method to complement live training. According to DASA, traditional desktop training presents a steep learning curve as users have to learn complex mouse and keyboard controls. In addition, its also highly detached from how users perform actions in real-life situations.

In 2020, Simcentric’s SAF-TAC Virtual Training Environment received £300,000 in DASA funding as part of the Open Call for Innovation. The innovation combines gaming software and commercial off-the-shelf VR headsets to train military personnel. The technology is built upon the commercial gaming engine, Unreal Engine, with SAF-TAC’s movement tracking capabilities, realistic graphics, sound design, and physics combining to create a simulation that emphasizes immersion and realism.

Dr. Adam Easton, CEO of SimCentric, commented: “As a long term trusted supplier to the Australian Army, SimCentric is proud to deliver cutting edge technologies of relevance to the Australian Army that will tangibly enhance their individual and collective skills. By leveraging the extensive advantages of the Unreal Engine commercial gaming engine including supply chains and wider platform investment, the Australian Army can rapidly and sustainably modernize to deliver unprecedented capability efficiently to its soldiers in a way that bespoke military software simply cannot achieve.”

DASA’s impact and lessons learnt from the Open Call, and engagement with the Australian Army, are believed to have helped SimCentric steer the direction of SAF-TAC. According to SimCentric, the company is planning to make the product highly customizable in the future, enabling the Australian Army to modify and add their own content to SAF-TAC.

Find providers of Simulated Combat Training >>

Posted by Joseph Macey Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

Advanced C2 Software for Autonomous Swarm Operations Released

L3Harris introduces AMORPHOUSâ„¢, a new software that enables seamless control of thousands of autonomous assets across domains, enhancing military operations with advanced, collaborative autonomy.

Feb 17, 2025
Trillium to Provide Gimbal Systems for Raytheon Loitering Munition

Trillium Engineering has been awarded a Phase One Production contract to supply HD25-LV gimbal systems, set to integrate with a Raytheon Loitering Munition

Feb 17, 2025
ISTEC to Enhance Jackal 3 Extenda with Advanced Weapon Systems

ISTEC Services is set to supply advanced weapon integration systems for 53 Jackal 3 Extenda vehicles, enhancing firepower and versatility in partnership with Supacat and Babcock

Feb 17, 2025
Commercial vs. 3D Printed Propellers

Tyto Robotics delves into whether UAV rotors produced through additive manufacturing can match the aerodynamic and acoustic performance of commercially available plastic propellers

Feb 14, 2025
Specialized Drones Trialled for Medical Supply Delivery in Military Training

Oregon National Guard combat medics are training with drones to deliver medical supplies, enhancing battlefield readiness for large-scale operations with innovative solutions

Feb 14, 2025
EFI Drone Propulsion Solutions for Military Applications

Defense Advancement showcases INF Inject's advanced EFI (electronic fuel injection) drone propulsion solutions for military and defense applications

Feb 14, 2025

Featured Content

Rugged Computing Solutions for Defense Applications

Defense Advancement showcases Systel's rugged mission-critical computing solutions for defense and government applications

Feb 13, 2025
IDEX 2025: Allen-Vanguard to Introduce New RF CEMA Technology

Allen-Vanguard is unveiling its latest core at IDEX 2025, delivering a new level of capability for multi-function CEMA platforms with improved electronic warfare performance

Feb 13, 2025
Teledyne FLIR Unveils Software Solution to Enhance UAS Automation & AI Capabilities

Teledyne FLIR introduces Prism Supervisor, enhancing UAS capabilities by integrating autopilot systems with AI-driven analytics, enabling real-time mission adaptation, automation, and synchronized multi-UAV operations for improved efficiency and success

Feb 10, 2025