[ABA]UNDIES
British Army Team
Age : 34
Joined : 16 Dec 2007
Posts : 460
Location : England's green and pleasant lands
 |  Subject: ArmA Purchased by the Army.  Thu Aug 28, 2008 7:25 pm | |
| In a £2 million deal we have invested in a game engine to use.
| Quote: | The British Army unveils that it's using VBS2, a modified version of the PC game Armed Assault for training purposes
The British Army is no stranger to using computer games as a training tool. Last year, Custom PC visited the CATT (Combined Arms Tactical Trainer) in Warminster, which the Army uses to train tank crews how to operate together as a unit.
Since then, Custom PC has been given access to the Army's latest simulator, VBS2 [video link], which is based on the popular PC game ArmA: Armed Assault by Bohemia Interactive. Currently the Army is using VBS2 to train soldiers from the Royal Logistics Corp how to work together in a convoy, or in Army speak - Tactics, Technique and Procedures. In the Cold War, these convoys would have operated safely far behind the frontline, but when operating in Iraq and Afghanistan such convoys have come under repeated attack by insurgents.
The simulator is set up so that the three crew members of each vehicle, such as an armoured Land Rover, have their own laptop PC. The drivers's laptop is equiped with a USB streering wheel, while the gunner and vehicle commander use a mouse to scan around their surroundings. These clusters of laptops are networked together, allowing multiple vehicles to train together as a convoy.
Neuman & Spurr, the company responsible for providing training and support for VBS2 to the British Army chose laptops so that the simulator can be moved around more easily. In fact, next year the Army plans to deploy sets of 30 laptops (to simulate 10 vehicles) to bases in Iraq and Afghanistan to provide additional training for frontline troops. Unlike many CPC readers though, which upgrade their PCs every few months, the British Army isn't so keen on upgrading. Currently, VBS2 is run on Dell Precision M6300 laptops, based on Intel Core 2 Duo CPUs running Windows XP.
The Army demonstrated VBS2 with a convoy from 109 Squadron, 25 Regiment, RLC patrolling a virtual copy of the southern Iraqi town of As Samawah. Having brushed off several IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) and a handful of insurgents the convoy made it back to base without any casualties. However, the real beauty of VBS2, apart from its cutting edge graphics, is the scenario editor. This can be used to quickly modify the scenario, repositioning the troops, forcing them to keep alert and aware of potential threats.
This is likely to be just the beginning for VBS2 though. The terms of the so called 'Golden License' the Ministry of Defence has paid £2 million for allow any user in the British Government to use VBS2. Apparently, the Royal Marines has already expressed an interest in using VBS2 for simulator house clearing operations, while other government agencies have also been looking at using the technology.
|
http://www.custompc.co.uk/news/604743/british-army-reveals-its-latest-training-simulator-is-based-on-a-pc-game.html#
_________________
 |
|
[ABA] Strima
Admin
Age : 98
Joined : 12 Dec 2007
Posts : 525
Location : Sarf'ampton, Hampshire, United States of England!!!
| | Subject: Re: ArmA Purchased by the Army. Thu Aug 28, 2008 7:26 pm | |
| They've got the Viking!!! Come on DEVs, get it into PR and no excuses about child thingamajigs!!!!!
_________________
|
|
[ABA]uk_joey_deacs
LT.COL
Age : 27
Joined : 03 Jan 2008
Posts : 404
Location : bovington dorset
| | Subject: Re: ArmA Purchased by the Army. Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:19 pm | |
| PR devs could have been rolling in it... missed a trick there.. maybe the AAC thing may work out??
_________________
 |
|
Rep.Recoil
Tpr
Joined : 26 Aug 2008
Posts : 1
| | Subject: Re: ArmA Purchased by the Army. Thu Aug 28, 2008 10:13 pm | |
| | Though VBS2 was purchased a few years back by the British army, can definately remember them advertising their interest in the engine used. |
|
[ABA]UNDIES
British Army Team
Age : 34
Joined : 16 Dec 2007
Posts : 460
Location : England's green and pleasant lands
| | Subject: Re: ArmA Purchased by the Army. Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:14 am | |
| Viking was looked into a few times by the Devs over the last year or so, the problem with the 'Dirty Stinking Vanilla' engine is they cannot make it properly articulated so it wouldgo round a bend for example, wan when it turns the whole thing would remain rigid and not bend 
Shame as i submitted more than 120 photos of it in green, desert, bar armour and with turrets etc fitted.
_________________
|
|
[ABA]UK_Force
Admin
Age : 36
Joined : 12 Dec 2007
Posts : 817
Location : Yorkshire Lad
| | Subject: Re: ArmA Purchased by the Army. Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:13 pm | |
| This is for CATT, they are happy with an engine they know, nothing we can do there, but there are many other options, the problem is that EA would charge the earth for a licence?
.
_________________
 |
|
[R-con]ice_killer
Cpl
Age : 20
Joined : 12 Aug 2008
Posts : 30
| | Subject: Re: ArmA Purchased by the Army. Tue Sep 02, 2008 4:18 pm | |
| | [ABA]UK_Force wrote: | This is for CATT, they are happy with an engine they know, nothing we can do there, but there are many other options, the problem is that EA would charge the earth for a licence?
. |
 its cool to hear that the BA has ARMA  |
|
![[ABA] Clan](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/Craig2859/ABA8.png)
