Innovative technology has been secured to train Royal Navy sailors and prepare them for “future warfare”.

“World class” training will be delivered through virtual simulators after a five-year £25m contract was signed. Defence giant QinetiQ will be running realistic simulations that replicate missions that sailors can expect to undertake, and the threats they will face on the frontline.

A new contract has been signed to provide virtual simulators for the Royal Navy. Pictured: The Bridge Simulator at HMS Collingwood in Fareham, training sailors on how to guide warships on deployments around the world. | Royal Navy

placeholder image — A new contract has been signed to provide virtual simulators for the Royal Navy. Pictured: The Bridge Simulator at HMS Collingwood in Fareham, training sailors on how to guide warships on deployments around the world. | Royal Navy

The business already provides synthetic operational training services to the Royal Navy as part of Platform Enabled Training Capability (PETC), managed from the Portsdown Technology Park in Portsmouth. This new Maritime Command and Staff Trainer (MCAST) can emulate deployments and model the activities from opposing forces. The hope is this will prepare personnel for warfighting scenarios.

Commodore Andy Ingham, Commander Fleet Operational Standards and Training, said: “QinetiQ and the Royal Navy have worked closely together over many years on a multitude of projects helping FOST deliver World Class Training. MCAST is the exciting next step on our training innovation journey, a dedicated synthetic training facility, designed to prepare us to face both known and developing threats.”

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Will Blamey, chief executive for UK defence at QinetiQ, added: “Our innovative, digital-led approach to training supports the requirements of the Strategic Defence Review to increase warfighting readiness. MCAST will ensure that Royal Navy personnel are put through their paces in an environment which reflects the complex, multi-domain and multi-national battlespace of future warfare.”

Inzpire, part of the QinetiQ Group, will design the training scenarios for MCAST. The latest simulation technology will be used to create immersive and realistic exercises. A suite of tools will capture data from the planning, execution and evaluation of the training drills to make them better in the future.

Sailors already use simulators in various guises. Bridge simulators are regularly used at HMS Collingwood in Fareham, teaching personnel to guide warships in various environments and situations.