BAE Systems has announced that it is acquiring military training simulator provider Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) for $200 million.
The British aerospace giant said that the acquisition was fueled by the expected increase in demand for military training and simulation tools, with the annual global market exceeding $11 billion.
The merger stands to enhance BAE’s ability to fulfill US defense strategy requirements for joint, all-domain operations.
“The addition of BISim to the BAE Systems team expands our modeling and simulation capabilities and solidifies our systems integration strategy,” BAE Systems chief executive officer Tom Arseneault stated in a press release.
He added that the purchase now puts the company in an “even better position” to deliver next-generation virtual systems to help prepare soldiers for future battlefield scenarios.
Prior to the acquisition, the two companies worked together on the US Marine Corps War Gaming and Analysis Center contract in 2019.
‘Highest Fidelity’
According to the company, the Florida-based firm utilizes the latest game-based technologies and an experienced team of engineers to develop practical training and simulation software products for defense applications.
Used by more than 60 countries. BISim’s cutting-edge training simulators reportedly enhance the readiness of soldiers and allow militaries to reduce their carbon emissions by employing simulated training technologies.
Meanwhile, BISim President Arthur Alexion emphasized the importance of conducting virtual training as technology advances.
“You can’t practice at different times of day and night; you can only practice at the time when you’re there,” Alexion told C4ISRNET. “Virtual training for many types of training is a logistically better way to train.”
He added that BISim’s simulators are designed to closely mimic a soldier kneeling, going prone, rolling over, hiding behind a bush, hiding behind a wall, and other training movements.
“Bullets actually fly. The trajectory of every bullet, of every round, is actually modeled. It’s the highest fidelity that you can get,” he said.
