Soldiers using immersive room to train for war

Military personnel have been using an immersive room that replicates a front line war scenario.

"Similar to escape rooms without the riddles", the Babcock Immersive Training Experience (BITE), has been used at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in Filton, Bristol and Warminster, Wiltshire.

BITE shakes, smells and can smoke in an effort to replicate what it feels like to be on the front line in a war situation, and may one day be used for further military training.

Jim Nagle, warrant officer (WO), said: "I think this is as close as you are going to get to the real thing."

Babcock International, defence firm based in Bristol, created BITE as a way to help soldiers and commanders be battle-ready.

Mikaela Green, training capability director at Babcock, said it aims to ensure "operational readiness".

"The ability to practise and sustain your knowledge in an environment that is as close to operational realism as possible is critical," she added.

She said they were aiming to close the gap between classroom education and real life saying it works military personnel's "muscle memory".

"We've created the opportunity to have full immersion."

A Babcock spokesperson added it was "similar to escape rooms without the riddles".

BITE also has visual and biometric feeds that are monitored from a control room, meaning personnel can review their actions and learn.

Military bosses based in the Defence Equipment and Support part of the MoD said they are always looking for new and emerging technologies.

A spokesperson said: "The benefit of experiencing the BITE means that our teams can see and experience first-hand what is out there and available for use."

WO Nagle recently tried the room at MoD Filton Abbey Wood and said it was a "sensory overload".

"The indirect fire, all the things getting fed into you, the information from the drones, tracking where our troops are and where the enemies troops are... there was a lot going on.

"You've got smoke being injected in, you've got noise and vibrations, as well as the simulated indirect fire attack," he said.

Commanders were tested on their decision-making capabilities while experiencing "as close to front line war as possible", he added.

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