The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has opened a first tactical wargaming centre at Southwick Park in Hampshire, where the D-Day landings were planned.

The Defence Experimentation and Wargaming Hub was recently inaugurated by Strategic Command’s Deputy Commander, Lieutenant General Tom Copinger-Symes.

Designed to serve as the nerve centre for experimentation and wargaming, the hub aims to bolster Defence's ability to navigate the ever-evolving global threatscape. Lieutenant General Tom Copinger-Symes highlighted the facility's pivotal role in driving evidence-based decisions at an accelerated pace, fostering a culture of strategic brilliance and tactical innovation.

With its wargaming capabilities, the hub offers a unique platform to explore alternative scenarios, assess different strategies, and anticipate emerging threats. 

The Defence Experimentation and Wargaming Hub building. MOD Crown Copyright.

By facilitating collaboration between military, technological, and academic domains, it aims to enhance preparedness and resilience in an increasingly complex security environment.

Lieutenant Colonel Tom Ellen, Chief of Staff Defence Experimentation and Wargaming Hub, emphasized that the launch signifies not just the inauguration of a physical facility, but the beginning of a transformative journey towards shaping the future of Defence.

Located at Southwick Park in Hampshire, the hub is poised to expand its offerings, including rapid wargaming services, a state-of-the-art reconfigurable facility, and a repository of wargaming data and tools.