AI Partnership Transforms UK Military Training

Defence and training support company MASS, part of the Cohort plc Group, has signed a contract with Hadean, a spatial computing technology provider.

The partnership will support the Joint Command and Staff Training (JCAST) programme for the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) UK Strategic Command, providing a simulated and immersive exercise design, preparation, delivery and analysis support capability for combined joint task force exercises.

The JCAST programme delivers comprehensive support to the Integrated Warfare Centre in Strategic Command and other elements of MOD. It will continue to provide a complete operational-level exercise design, preparation, delivery and analysis support capability helping to ensure that the UK’s Operational Headquarters are prepared for the full spectrum of potential deployments, ranging from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief responses to non- combatant evacuations and combat operations.

Combining MASS’ expertise in planning and delivering large scale training exercises with Hadean’s AI-assisted crisis scenario generation, UK Strategic Command personnel will train in a simulated setting which reflects today’s evolving operational challenges. The training environment will be augmented with additional “layers” of realism such as civilian behaviour and attitudes, as well as the evolving role of social media.

Keith Norton, Managing Director at MASS said, “Today’s military training must reflect the landscape of defence – operations no longer take place in isolation, with digital developments now playing a significant role. By integrating emerging and innovative technology – such as generative AI – into joint force defence training, we can future-proof JCAST’s training support, ensuring it evolves in step with real-world defence operations.

“Our partnership with Hadean allows us to create a richer, more immersive training environment. We combine MASS’ expertise in planning and delivering realistic training scenarios – with personnel role-playing key positions – with Hadean’s advanced synthetic environment technology, which simulates wider operational interactions including social media information and disinformation. This unique approach allows us to deliver a truly ‘train as you operate’ experience."

By increasing the scale, frequency and complexity of training exercises, the partnership will help the UK Armed Forces improve operational readiness, accelerate exercise development and drive long-term cost savings. The evolution of the training support will enable JCAST personnel to remain adaptable in a rapidly changing operational landscape, with quicker timelines and flexibility for planning and delivering training

Added to this, the use of AI technology will also reduce the reliance on manual processes, the need for additional personnel and other resources to deliver exercises that reflect the evolving operational environment.