05 Sep 25. Northcom Wraps Up Arctic Edge 25. U.S. Northern Command successfully concluded Arctic Edge 25, a joint and combined, multidomain field training exercise conducted across Alaska from Aug. 1-31. The exercise demonstrated readiness, enhanced interoperability and advanced capabilities in the Arctic region. AE25 included participation from Northcom forces, First Air Force, Army North, Naval Forces Northern Command, Marine Forces Northern Command, Special Operations Command North and Alaska Command. It also included participation from allied nations, including the United Kingdom and Denmark, as well as interagency partners such as the Alaska National Guard, FBI, Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Alaska state and local law enforcement and Alaska Native communities. Key events during AE25 showcased the complexity and innovation required for Arctic operations. A joint explosive ordnance disposal team conducted mine clearance operations at Port Mackenzie and Cook Inlet, overcoming extreme tidal changes, high currents and limited visibility to capture critical observations for future EOD operations in the Alaska theater of operations. The team also recovered, transferred and exploited a simulated foreign unmanned underwater vehicle. A joint Marine Corps/Coast Guard team executed a simulated raid to seize Port Mackenzie, thereby reestablishing force flow through the port, while the Army’s 3rd Transportation Brigade opened the unimproved port, conducting transit operations using austere facilities. Additional highlights included High Mobility Artillery Rocket System rapid insertion missions, live-fire exercises, integrated air and missile defense engagements, and maritime security operations in the Bering Sea. These events provided invaluable training opportunities and strengthened Northcom’s Arctic readiness. Northcom also conducted cross-combatant command coordination and shared a common operational picture with U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, as Arctic Edge ran concurrently with Indo-Pacom’s Northern Edge 25. Arctic Edge 25 demonstrated the ability of engaged forces to assure, deter and defend North America in an increasingly complex Arctic security environment. Lessons learned will inform future operations and strengthen Arctic readiness. (Source: U.S. DoD)
09 Sep 25. Babcock unveils immersive training product for maritime domain. Babcock International Group (“Babcock”), the defence company, has launched an innovative maritime variant of the Babcock Immersive Training Experience (BITE) – the latest example of how the product can be used across domains to transform training. Unveiled on the first day of DSEI in London, BITE is a data-rich immersive environment which delivers realistic naval exercises onshore. It ramps stress and assaults senses of personnel while measuring training performance for reviews – helping soldiers, sailors and aircrew to step into operations already acclimatised to pressure. Users enter the deployable unit to take part in exercises while being exposed to operationally realistic effects, including the sound of fighter jets and artillery fire, generated odours, power outages and smoke.
This planned attack on senses led one British Army warrant officer to describe the command bunker variant as being “as close as you’re going to get to the real thing” – with this latest evolution of BITE leveraging Babcock’s pan-domain expertise, to solve training challenges for all areas of defence. To demonstrate its adaptability, and in response to evolving requirements, Babcock presented BITE as a Ships Control Centre on the first day of DSEI to showcase how it can support with training sailors who assess crews for operational readiness.
As users deal with a crisis ‘on board’ the ship, the trainee trainers are assessed for how they monitor the responses of those involved.
This ‘train the trainer’ approach provides navies around the world with a mobile and deployable module which allows effective, easily repeatable training while reducing the requirement for exercises to take place at sea.
BITE can be configured for a range of naval challenges depending on the customer’s requirements – and visitors to DSEI will also be able to experience BITE operating as a command bunker for Army-based operations.
Jo Rayson, Managing Director for Babcock’s Training business, said: “Navies need realistic and representative training which prepares teams for operations, while using innovative technology to help free up platforms.
“We’ve shown how BITE can transform soldier training – and thanks to the technology and adaptability, we can reconfigure it for a variety of scenarios across land, sea and air. In this case, we’ve turned it into a Ships Control Centre where exercises can quickly and efficiently be repeated time and again without the need for actual platforms.
“This evolution of BITE helps takes naval training away from active platforms at a time of increased operational demand, driven in-part by growing global geopolitical instability.”
Babcock will also be showcasing its land scenarios at DSEI later this week – with the immersive training product forming one part of its complete training solution.
09 Sep 25. 4GD has begun work on a significant upgrade to the military training environment at Copehill Down Village on Salisbury Plain. Copehill Down, a purpose-built “village”, is used to train for urban operations in built-up areas. The Urban Training facilities are being fitted with an Audio and Visual Closed Circuit Television capability and incorporated After Action Review (AAR) system.
Once complete, the modernised facility will support urban training serials. 4GD is delivering these improvements on behalf of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), together with Landmarc Support Services (Landmarc) and the Land Warfare Centre.
The village upgrades will provide a much more realistic, high-fidelity training environment which will enhance the war fighting ability of military personnel and help prepare troops for future potential operational deployments. . The utilisation of 4GD’s flagship products will elevate the quality of urban training on the site. Included in this upgrade is 4GD’s 4GAV After Action Review (AAR) system, which provides unrivalled visibility of all training exercises. These works will also deliver special effects to simulate both battlefield effects as well as pattern of life.
The expansion of 4GD products across the UK’s military training estate continues at pace. The news of the Copehill Down delivery adds further credibility to the quality of 4GD’s technology, which is now in use at Merville Barracks in Colchester, Catterick Training Area in North Yorkshire and Rollestone Camp on Salisbury Training Area. This represents a geographic reach covering the South West, East and North of England. The expansion presents an opportunity for an increasing number of soldiers across the country to be booked into 4GD facilities, to hone their urban fighting skills, close to their garrison base.
At over 94,000 acres, Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) is the UK’s largest training area. It offers live firing and other facilities for armoured vehicles, artillery, engineers, infantry and aircraft. The regular Army, Army reserves and cadets use the training area, as do NATO allies.
Rob Taylor, 4GD Founder and Director, said: “4GD is at the forefront of delivering technology updates to the military training estate. Starting this work to Copehill Down Village is another major contract for the business and proves the suitability of 4GD’s products for modern defence training. This all serves to enhance training for the warfighter and help prepare the British Army for urban combat.”
DIO’s Colonel Richard Gibb, Deputy Head UK Defence Training Estate, said:
“We are delighted to see this project taking shape. DIO supports our Armed Forces by providing what they need to live, work and train. Current operational requirements identified that there was a need for further investment and development in the urban training infrastructure. This upgrade in technological systems is a significant milestone in evolving the British Army’s urban warfare capability. It offers a highly realistic space and the ability for immediate after-action reviews which will better prepare military personnel for operations around the world.”