Belgian MOD acquires VBS3 site licenses for military training
“We are pleased to welcome the Belgian military into the very active group of European countries using VBS3 for military training,” said Pete Morrison, BISim’s Co-CEO. “VBS3 has a long history of delivering cost-effective and quickly deployable desktop simulation for manoeuvre training.”
VBS3 provides an immersive virtual environment that helps soldiers train on tactics, rehearse for missions, and practice standard operating procedures. With its After Action Review tool, the software is designed to help soldiers learn to think, make decisions and improve communications before heading to the field for live exercises. VBS3 is used for tactical training and mission rehearsal on desktop computers as well as part-task trainers and full-mission simulators. The Belgian MOD will receive VBS3 with VBS Gateway, a brand new, easy-to-use interoperability gateway for DIS/HLA interactions.
According to Major Jan Vandamme, Simulation Center Chief at Leopoldsburg, the Center for Simulation Land (CSim) was created in 2013 to contribute to the success of Belgian military operations. It increases education and training efficiency by proposing exercises and training events that would not be possible without simulation due to the cost, safety risks, time limitations or lack of material.
“VBS3 will give us this capability for tactical training at Squad and Platoon level in a Joint & Combined Arms environment, allowing Forward Observers, Combat Engineers, Pilots and many others to cooperate directly with small manoeuvre units,” said Major Vandamme. “We are also confident that the pedagogical strengths of VBS3 – an immersive environment that allows trainees to learn by executing their future tasks, a powerful After Action Review tool and the opportunity for multiple repetitions in a short amount of time – will have a positive effect on the success rate and level of competence of students at our Manoeuvre School.”
“Finally, we will be able to deploy VBS3 to operational theatres to allow our troops to conduct Mission Rehearsal in a discrete way,” Vandamme added. “I have no doubt that our VBS3 licenses will be used almost permanently from early 2016 onwards and the crew of the Center for Simulation will shape the conditions to make each training session a success.”
The software license agreement includes VBS3Fires and VBS3Fires FST, VBS3 modules for high fidelity call for fire and close air support training from SimCentric Technologies.
VBS3 is used for a wide range of training purposes in 39 countries including military organizations and institutions such as the US Army, US Marine Corps, UK Ministry of Defence, Australia Defence Force, French Armed Forces, Bundeswehr, Swedish Armed Forces, Canadian Armed Forces and New Zealand Defense Force.
Founded in 2001, Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) is a global software company at the forefront of simulation training solutions for military and civilian organisations. BISim develops high-fidelity, cost-effective technologies for tactical military training. We apply game-based technology to a range of breakthrough, military-specific training and simulation software products.
Bohemia Interactive Simulations UK (BISim UK) - based at Farnborough - incorporates development and support teams to meet the needs of its military customers and industry partners in the UK. Through close working relationships with the users and industry developers, the team monitors the use and needs of the VBS community across the UK to inform the product development roadmaps. It supports the growing number of UK MOD, industry and academic research programmes.
