FEINDEF 2021: Indra enhances military training with new virtual reality-based Víctrix VR simulator


Spanish company Indra is raising military training to the next level with the new version of its Víctrix simulator, immersing soldiers in a virtual urban environment in which they can prepare their missions with a huge degree of detail and accuracy until they achieve perfect execution.
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When soldiers are connected to colleagues at another base hundreds of miles away, the Víctrix system allows them to share a virtual scenario and train together. (Picture source: Indra)


Six soldiers put on their virtual reality goggles in the simulation room. They immediately move with their own real weapon to an urban tactical scenario, which replicates the mission they are preparing for. They are connected to their colleagues at another base hundreds of miles away. The Víctrix system allows them to share a virtual scenario and train together. Both groups advance through different streets until they meet at the agreed point to advance together, and they are able to interact with each other. Indra’s spokesman explained that “the number of rooms that can join the exercise is practically unlimited, eliminating any geographical barriers preventing the training”.

The new Víctrix VR combines the use of 3D rendering and optical positioning technologies that can locate and track objects with millimeter precision and low latency. Each soldier wears sensors on his body so that the simulator detects his position and replicates virtually all his movements. "They can move forward, duck, take cover from snipers or signal to their comrades," the company explains.

The solution allows the operation to be repeated as many times as necessary until perfect coordination is achieved. The participating units can analyze the risks they face, study different tactics and anticipate the adversary’s potential response. “The system is the closest thing to real training, achieving a degree of realism similar to a laser duel but with the benefits of being able to introduce all kinds of synthetic elements, such as tanks and helicopters, and configuring other parameters, such as the city in which the action takes place, the number of adversaries, the means at their disposal, the degree of resistance they offer, the time of day, the visibility and so on”, the spokesman pointed out.

This is next-generation training. Designed to train soldiers facing increasingly complex missions involving hybrid warfare techniques that make it very difficult to differentiate the enemy from the civilian population. In many cases, it’s also an advanced adversary that makes use of the latest technologies, having received extensive training.

The new Víctrix VR measures the performance of each soldier. The instructors can review each movement to remedy any errors. The zenithal view provides them with a complete understanding of the position of the whole group so as to improve its coordination. As the soldiers complete the exercises, their progress is noted. “Preparing the soldiers of the future requires measuring their skills on an ongoing basis. No factor can be left to chance”, the spokesman stressed.

The new Víctrix constitutes a huge technological leap compared to the first version, from projecting the scenario onto a screen to generating a virtual scenario in which the soldiers can move around freely.

The initial version of the Víctrix is currently installed at more than 40 military bases belonging to the Spanish Armed Forces. This experience has now enabled Indra to develop a much more advanced solution, one that’s been created with a technological maturity far superior to that of any other system in existence on the market. The Víctrix system also facilitates training adapted to each phase of instruction, taking the soldier from training in the handling of the weapon to prepare for the most demanding tactical operations.