Andy is a chartered engineer and was a member of the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors for UK MoD. He became head of simulation policy for the UK MoD 20 years ago, and Chair of the NATO Modelling and Simulation Group. In 2012 he became a training and simulation consultant for both government and defense primes. Recently he was the academic liaison for Bohemia Interactive Simulations and was their project architect for the British Army’s Virtual Reality in Land Training Pilot Project.

How Relevant is the Metaverse to Military Simulation & Training?

November 21, 2022

Andy Fawkes

The metaverse is in the news everywhere, but how relevant is it to military simulation and training?

DSET 2022 – Bold, Bigger, Diverse

July 18, 2022

Andy Fawkes

The hybrid virtual/in-person format is working well for the annual Defence Simulation, Education and Training Conference and Workshop, reports MS&T Special Correspondent Andy Fawkes.

A Brief Guide to the Cloud

July 11, 2022

Andy Fawkes

The concept of sharing computers at distance has been around since the very early days of the Internet but it was not until the 1990s the term “Cloud” gained popularity.

Heading into the Clouds?

July 11, 2022

Andy Fawkes

Cloud and streaming technologies are already being used in support of S&T and, although a journey with hurdles, there seems to be a clear direction of travel towards a Cloud approach.

IT2EC Reborn, Finally

June 14, 2022

Dim Jones and Andy Fawkes

The return to London’s ExCel Centre and lifting of Covid restrictions helped resurrect the long-delayed 31st iteration of IT²EC. MS&T’s Andy Fawkes and Dim Jones took in the conference and exhibition and came away with a range of reactions.

Journey to Resurrection: ITEC 22

April 25, 2022

Dim Jones and Andy Fawkes

The much-delayed 31st iteration of the ITEC exhibition and conference will take place at the ExCel in London 26-28 April. MS&T’s Dim Jones and Andy Fawkes discussed the aspirations of the organisers, Clarion Defence and Security, with their Chairman, Air Vice-Marshal (Ret’d) Gary Waterfall.

Essential Preparation for IT²EC 2022

Advancing Training Through Technology

March 10, 2022

Rick Adams and Andy Fawkes

To help you prepare for IT²EC 2022, MS&T Editor Rick Adams and MS&T Special Correspondent Andy Fawkes have picked out some must-read pieces that will set you up perfectly for all your discussions with industry peers in London.

The Edge of the XR Envelope

February 22, 2022

Andy Fawkes

XR is maturing and finding its way into many applications.

Simulating the World, Faster

November 24, 2021

Andy Fawkes

MS&T’s Special Correspondent Andy Fawkes reports on some of the latest developments in the processing and exploitation of real-world terrain data.

Heavy Metal Meets Simulation and Training

October 20, 2021

Andy Fawkes

The focus of the biennial defence and security trade exhibition, DSEI, has traditionally been on equipment and systems with real ships, tanks and aircraft, but there was also much to see this year for the military simulation and training community.

Avoiding The Innovation Valley of Death

Stacey Crump and Tom Adamson from the UK Defence & Security Accelerator (DASA) are the guests on this week's episode of The Warfighter Podcast. The duo give a synopsis of the organisation and their work, trying to foster innovation and technology that can not only be used to support defence, but also more widely across government and society.

WATCH-Sustainability and Selection, What Airlines and EASA Need To Do Next

Watch Captain Colin Rydon, FRAeS, and Captain Hugues Carpentier sit down with Captain Jacques Drappier to discuss selection and Ab Initio. The duo warn about the pilot shortage that is coming like a tidal wave in Europe next year and push for regulators to lead on improving sustainability in the industry.

WATCH-Pilot Mental Health Conversations Need to Go Further

Captain Helen Heenan, MSc FRAeS, sits down with Captain Jacques Drappier to discuss mental health in aviation. Helen explains why conversations about mental health in aviation need to go further, with some pilots afraid to disclose issues for fear of losing their jobs.