What do you get when you combine cutting-edge gaming software, real-world scale, and a virtual reality (VR) headset? The answer is the next evolution in military training—a solution designed to close critical knowledge and efficiency gaps for sailors supporting the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV) missions.

Today, most UUV training involves letting sailors work directly on the vehicles, often without any prior experience doing so. This presents several challenges. Access to UUVs is scarce, parts are limited, and getting sailors to and from training sites and recovering the vehicles from underwater means a full eight-hour day often involves only two hours of active training.

VR training, on the other hand, eliminates travel and downtime, giving sailors more time to focus on building skills. Teaching sessions that once took a half-day can be finished in 15 to 45 minutes, and the VR technology lets sailors practice complex maintenance procedures and technical tasks without the risk of damaging expensive equipment. An added benefit is that the VR training program can evolve along with the UUVs—new weapons, sensors, and procedures can be easily added to the virtual environment.

Joseph Reck, a senior lead engineer at Booz Allen who spent 24 years in the Navy, likes to share a story of a young American sailor who tried the VR UUV trainer just days after arriving at his new command. Months later, during an in-person training session led by the UUV’s manufacturer, the instructor asked the class if anyone had experience working on UUVs. The sailor didn’t raise his hand, but when it came time to perform a procedure, he completed it with ease. Surprised, the instructor asked how he knew what to do. The sailor replied, “I did this using VR three months ago, and this is pretty much the same thing. I already know where all the stuff is.”

Reck adds, “It’s very satisfying to hear someone say, ‘I wish this VR training technology was available when I was a junior Marine.’” 

To create a highly realistic training environment, Booz Allen relies on a combination of advanced imaging and measurement techniques. This includes capturing high-resolution photos of the UUV using a specialized camera and lens and then using those images to create detailed 3D models. LiDAR scanning and manual measurements ensure every component matches its physical counterpart at a one-to-one scale. This precision makes the virtual experience feel just like the real thing. It's also what makes the technology readily adaptable to new upgrades or different pieces of equipment.

“This is the future—replicating something in real life and bringing it into the virtual space to help the warfighter,” says Aaron Gutierrez, a 3D modeler at Booz Allen. “It opens the door to endless possibilities for immersive training.”

A lot of this work is being done at the Bremerton Maritime Tech Facility—one of 20 leading-edge research and development labs within Booz Allen’s nationwide network of engineering facilities. At these facilities, our teams combine advanced software and high-performance hardware to design, prototype, build, and sustain advanced engineering solutions that help the Department of War achieve outcomes faster. 

Applying advanced augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) to military training is nothing new for Booz Allen, which has developed and delivered immersive solutions since the technology first arrived on the scene a decade ago.

One solution, which we developed for the Army and Air Force, uses 5G networks to let warfighters train in the field. In one test exercise, soldiers wearing our VR headsets were connected to a remote medical expert, who instructed them how to perform a fasciotomy, which involves cutting tissue to relieve pressure—potentially saving a limb. Soldiers who had never undergone medical training were able to successfully complete fasciotomies. The experiment demonstrates that it’s possible to connect military members stationed in remote areas with doctors so that they can receive coaching on how to treat a critically ill patient who cannot be evacuated.

Another AR/VR-powered solution developed by Booz Allen trains Marines on aircraft repair, making it more efficient to learn about the many kinds of planes the Navy has.

“They (the Marines) have all these aircraft that they need to be trained on. Logistically, it's really hard to get them in a place where the students can study them. So, the best viable options are to put a headset on and walk through the training," says Gutierrez.

Critically, Booz Allen AR/VR-powered training solutions can integrate with data systems to provide real-time feedback. Taken together, this tech gives personalized feedback to trainees, while also making the training process faster, more efficient and less expensive.

“We’ve been doing this for over 10 years, so we’re well positioned to provide these solutions to the government,” says Jack Otto, a software engineer at Booz Allen. “Now we’re looking for forward-thinking partners who are ready to modernize their training and take full advantage of what this technology can do.”

As technology—and the nature of war—rapidly change, Booz Allen’s VR/AR-powered training solutions provide an edge to America, allowing us to quickly send prepared warfighters into the field.