BAE Systems OneArc to modernise Italian Army's virtual training
Image courtesy BAE Systems
The five-year contract delivers a significant technological upgrade for Italy’s simulation readiness, replacing legacy VBS3-based systems with a fully modernised VBS4 capability, new training workstations, advanced fires integration and next-generation terrain generation tools.
The Italian Army relies on virtual environments to sustain critical procedural training across armored and aviation crews, FIRES operators, snipers and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs). This modernisation effort ensures continuity of training while introducing new levels of fidelity, scalability and interoperability.
“This upgrade is a major step toward the Italian Army’s future-ready virtual training architecture,” said Rahul C. Thakkar, president of OneArc. “With VBS4 and Mantle, Italy gains a foundation capable of supporting complex, multi-domain training, autonomous terrain generation and enhanced JTAC readiness — all aligned with evolving NATO standards.”
By transitioning to VBS4 and adopting Mantle, the Italian Army gains the ability to conduct sophisticated, multiweapon and multidomain procedural training at scale — unconstrained by terrain, weather or logistics. The upgrade ensures long-term interoperability with major NATO and allied partners who already rely on VBS4, Blue IG and Mantle technologies for mission rehearsal and collective training.
