Skyral wins £2bn MoD contract to train soldiers in virtual cities

The British Army is set to adopt digital twin simulation technology on August 4, 2026, under a £2 billion contract with a consortium including UK company Skyral. Its software creates detailed virtual replicas of cities like Riga, Latvia, to model the cascading effects of battlefield decisions.

Skyral co-chief executive Naomi Hulme described the platform as “probably a bit more Fortnite on steroids.”

Unlike traditional combat simulators, the technology layers in information about electrical grids, populations and logistics to show how a missile strike might disrupt infrastructure and civilian behaviour.

The digital twin concept began with predictive maintenance for machines but now maps entire cities.

Skyral was co-founded by Hulme and Jason Kennedy and spun out of Improbable Worlds Limited, a gaming and metaverse software firm.

While thorough research on such training’s impact is scarce, earlier studies indicate flight simulators improve real-world skills, and simulations are cheaper and easier to stage than live exercises.

Nato researchers are also experimenting with digital twins, though Skyral’s models are more comprehensive.

The contract emerges as the UK debates whether defence spending is adequate for emerging threats.

Britain will be among the first nations to deeply integrate the technology, with potential uses in humanitarian work and surgery.