UK Ministry of Defense Purchases Virtual Battlespace 2 Enterprise License

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
45,698
1
0
UK Ministry of Defense Purchases Virtual Battlespace 2 Enterprise License

Bohemia Interactive announced today that the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense has purchased an enterprise license of its Virtual Battlespace 2 training software.

According to the press release [http://www.vbs2.com/site/press_uk_mod.html], Virtual Battlespace 2 "provides a robust, flexible simulation for use in collective and tactical training, mission rehearsal, experimentation and terrain/3D model visualisation for AO familiarization."

Virtual Battlespace 2 is based on the Real Virtuality 2 game engine, and can trace its roots back to Operation Flashpoint [http://www.bistudio.com/]. Although a relatively complex military sim in itself, Operation Flashpoint quickly became a top-selling title across the US and Europe, winning numerous awards along the way. Since then, the company has divided its focus between developing consumer-level tactical combat simulators, and the Virtual Battlespace series of military trainers.

Along with the UK Ministry of Defense, Virtual Battlespace customers include the Australian Defense Force, the New Zealand Defense Force, the United States Army, and the United States Marines. As a military training tool, the Virtual Battlespace series is a ArmA: Armed Assault [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serious_game], Bohemia Interactive's most recent commercial title, and a direct descendant of the Operation Flashpoint series.

Using game software as a military tool is not a new idea: the most famous example comes from 1996, when the United States Marine Corps adopted America's Army [http://www.idsoftware.com/] game as a recruitment tool.

Originally founded as an independent game developer in 1999, Bohemia Interactive now maintains a studio in Australia as well as its original home base in the Czech Republic.


Permalink
 

Zetatrain

Senior Member
Sep 8, 2010
752
22
23
Country
United States
"War is a video game, what better way to raise the ultimate soldier"

cookie for reference