Capita-led consortium Team Fisher has partnered with Metaverse VR to deliver eleven new Warship Bridge Simulators into the Royal Navy, more than doubling its navigation training capacity.
Bridge crews are responsible for keeping everyone onboard a vessel safe and able to operate and maintain an operational advantage at sea. The new immersive simulators provide highly realistic training, utilising new additive VR scenarios imitating conditions at sea, as well as enabling Royal Navy personnel to receive real-time feedback.
The realism and adaptability of training scenarios means personnel can safely accrue training hours on the simulators and get to sea faster.
More than doubling the Royal Navy’s simulator capacity also means existing ships crews can train on the simulators when they are on shore and the simulator suites can be used alongside classroom training to bring concepts of vessel manoeuvring to life.
The technology has the capability to link multiple simulators together to train bridge crews simultaneously on multi-ship training exercises, such as replenishment at sea. The adoption of MOD and NATO standards during the development of the vessel and exercise area modelling is transferable and can be reused in other simulators.
The simulators have been installed at three Royal Navy locations in the UK, HMS Collingwood, Britannia Royal Naval College and HMNB Clyde, with the simulator suite at HMNB Clyde designed to help train submariners in a realistic physical environment. The fourth simulator is at Metaverse VR’s Portsmouth Technology Centre facility and acts as a development and testing centre as well as providing additional training capacity.
During a 14-month development time, the five existing simulators were decommissioned and the new DNV [Det Norske Veritas] Class A certified simulators were installed, tested and signed off as having met Initial Operating Capability with no disruption to training, on time and to cost.
David Hook CBE, Managing Director, Selborne, said:
“We are delighted to have delivered these state of the art navigation simulators to the Royal Navy at pace, using an agile, collaborative approach underscores Team Fisher’s strategic partnership with the Royal Navy and demonstrates a step change in training technology and delivery. We were able to deliver this capability in under 14 months, to cost, without disruption to current training. The simulators are an example of technology enabled training facilities that will be training environments, that will be a central part of the Training transformation approach we are embedding into Selborne.”
Commodore Jo Deakin, Deputy Director People - Training, said:
“The Royal Navy is investing heavily and transforming to provide a digitally enabled, learner-centric training experience for sailors and marines. The new warship navigation simulator capability delivers a huge leap in technology and significantly enhances the tools available to our trainers. The high-fidelity simulators, such as the new bridge trainers, are a central feature of our individual and collective training experience that positively impacts the learner experience and are a key component of delivering a Global, Modern, Ready Royal Navy.”
Toby Everitt, CEO, Metaverse VR said.
“We are proud to play a key role in elevating the Royal Navy’s ability to train their people in an advanced and innovative way. Bridge crew training is an essential phase for operational readiness, and a simulated approach demonstrates the best use of technological advantage.
We are delighted to continue to support Team Fisher to enable safer and more efficient training as a means to ensure the Royal Navy maximises training capacity.”
Notes to editors
Team Fisher is a Capita-led consortium, which includes Raytheon UK, Elbit Systems UK, Fujitsu, the University of Lincoln and several smaller British suppliers,
Team Fisher is combining a range of sophisticated technologies, processes and training management systems to fulfil the 12-year Royal Navy shore-based training contract. It is:
- Reviewing and modernising all training courses and providing accompanying analytics to ensure training methods best meet the Royal Navy’s needs.
- Running live on-the-ground training, and developing and deploying new methods, including digital learning and training simulation technology.
- Managing all the associated Royal Navy training equipment including procurement and decommissioning.
- Providing data through performance dashboards for Royal Navy management and managing IT infrastructure.
- Improving accreditation and apprenticeship management and running Royal Navy learning and development hubs and career advice services.
- Marketing Royal Navy courses to the wider international defence market and identifying further revenue opportunities for the service.
- Delivering a truly collaborative approach with the Royal Navy.
For more information, please contact:
Media enquiries
Capita external communications
Tel: 0207 654 2399
Email: media@capita.co.uk
