Elbit in the UK: British Army simulation training

Elbit Systems UK updated Army Technology on a range of different capabilities the company has to offer the British military and its allies in an exclusive media event. This engagement constitutes a series of updates that will be published throughout this week. At the ‘Horizon’ research, development and manufcaturing facility in Bristol, the company demonstrated three of its Army simulation systems: ICAVS(D), JFST and Project Vulcan – all in use with the British Army today. ICAVS(D) Having first entered service with the British Army in 2022, the Interim Combined Arms Virtual Simulation (Deployed) system, or ICAVS(D), provides tactical sub-unit training for up to 55 students at a time. ICAVS(D) uses high-specification hardware and defence virtual simulation software 2 to deliver a simulated training experience in the Army’s Battlecraft Syllabus, enabling regular and reserve units to get the most out of subsequent live field training exercises. “We’ll work with [the MoD] to design the scenarios that they want to work with,” a technical expert explained. Equipment is packed up and transported inside Peli cases anywhere in the world. “We deliver training to the MoD on site, wherever they are, in the United Kingdom, Estonia, Cyprus, Germany, among other places,” a specialist emphasised, demonstrating the expeditionary potential of the system. ICAVS(D) delivers training in week-long phases among a range of different units, from the military working dogs unit (with around 284 soldiers and 125 dogs) up to brigade level training (between 3,000 to 5,000 personnel). British Army troops practice on the ICAVS(D) trainer. Credit: Elbit Systems UK. JFST Elbit’s Joint Fires Synthetic Trainer, or JFST, offers British Army ‘joint fires operators’ – troops who direct fires of artillery, combat aircraft, helicopters and uncrewed air systems – an immersive training experience. Operating within a 285-degree, double-stacked simulation vicinity, troops are fully immersed, it is said, within 15 minutes. The system can represent “five levels of damage” done against targets in the simulation. Right now, the Army deployed JFST with personnel in Estonia. The government mandated Elbit Systems UK to deliver a certain amount of mission sets. All six capabilities are delivered, and these include different variants of JSFT systems to bases across the UK including the Royal School of Artillery, Larkhill, and the Air Ground Operations School at RAF Leeming. With the completion of final trials in late 2024, Elbit delivered its sixth and final JFST training platform type – the JFST Mobile to Front-Line Commands. As of January 2025, JFST accumulated 12,000 hours of training with Army soldiers. Since then, it is likely that this figure may have reached as much as 15,000 hours. Project Vulcan The MoD initially contracted Elbit Systems UK in May 2023 to design, provide, maintain, and operate a Ground Manoeuvre Synthetic Trainer (GMST) system under Project Vulcan. This system represents a synthetic training environment to qualify crews – drivers, gunners and commanders – before operating Boxer armoured vehicles and Challenger 3 tanks. At present there are six training scenarios or vehicle configurations within Vulcan, an Elbit Systems UK specialist confirmed. Vulcan can expand, however, to include representations of new ground platforms as they enter service. Elbit installed the first installation – Platform Crew Trainer Light – at Bovington, a British Army base in Dorset (South West England). The portable equipment allows for easy-access when soldiers require. Pictured: Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank on display at DVD2024. Pictured: Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank on display at DVD2024. Credit: Crown copyright/UK Ministry of Defence. According to a technical specialist, the MoD had “rushed Vulcan through to meet an earlier timeline” that would coincide with a previous Boxer delivery date in 2023. However, now that the Army showcased the first fully-built British Boxer for the first time in January 2025, Elbit intimated that the requirement for a Vulcan simulation will follow from October 2025 at the earliest. Project Vulcan will expand a lot to represent the changing nature of warfare on the ground; especially with the proilferated use of loitering munitions. Attack drones pose a devastating threat to costly ground platforms in Ukraine: as of February 2025, Russia lost 10,000 tanks, largely because of first-person view drones GlobalData intelligence indicates. Nevertheless, new designs for main battle tanks have adapted to the times. Russia has begun pushing a new tank export variant known as the T-90MS at IDEX 2025, claiming the platform has proven its mettle against “modern anti-tank weapons” in Ukraine. Sign up for our daily news round-up! Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights.

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