- Raytheon UK-led Omnia Training secured a $2.7 billion contract to deliver the British Army’s Collective Training Service over the next 15 years.
- The program introduces an AI-enabled Combat Laboratory capable of training up to 60,000 soldiers annually using virtual environments, advanced analytics and simulation technologies.
- The award is expected to support approximately 400 UK jobs, create 270 new skilled positions, and establish 100 apprenticeships while strengthening the domestic defense industrial base.
The U.K. Ministry of Defence has awarded Omnia Training, a consortium led by Raytheon UK, a $2.7 billion contract to deliver the British Army’s next-generation Army Collective Training Service, or ACTS. The 15-year program forms a key element of the Army’s Collective Training Transformation Programme and is designed to modernize military training through artificial intelligence, advanced analytics and immersive virtual environments, the U.K. government said.
How Will the New Training System Modernize Army Readiness?
The ACTS program establishes a new Combat Laboratory, a digital training platform that combines AI, simulation technologies, live systems and advanced data analytics to replicate the complexity of modern warfare.
The platform will enable commanders and soldiers to conduct realistic training regardless of location, allowing forces to prepare for evolving battlefields while incorporating lessons learned from recent conflicts, including the war in Ukraine.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the Combat Laboratory will be capable of training up to 60,000 soldiers each year. It will also provide commanders with performance analysis, operational insights and decision-support tools powered by AI and data analytics.
The capability is expected to improve collective training across formations ranging from units of approximately 100 personnel to formations of up to 50,000 troops, strengthening the British Army’s operational readiness and enhancing support for NATO missions and allied operations.
What Economic Impact Will the Contract Deliver?
The award supports employment across multiple regions, including Wiltshire, Hampshire and Leicestershire, with positions spanning software engineering, cloud engineering, artificial intelligence, modeling and data analytics.
The long-term agreement will support approximately 400 jobs across the United Kingdom, including the creation of 270 skilled positions, while establishing 100 apprenticeships in partnership with Wiltshire College and the University of Staffordshire. The initiative also includes employment opportunities for military veterans.
Omnia Training comprises five UK-based companies: Raytheon UK, Capita, Cervus, Rheinmetall UK and Skyral. The consortium also works with a supply chain of more than 44 British businesses.
What Did Government and Industry Leaders Say?
Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis said the investment will provide British soldiers with the quality training needed while creating skilled employment across the country.
“Our soldiers serve our nation with courage and exceptional dedication. I am absolutely determined they get the quality training they need to keep us safe.”
Jarvis added that the program demonstrates how defense investment supports both national security and economic growth through skilled employment opportunities tied to the government’s broader defense investment plans.
James Gray, managing director and chief executive of Raytheon UK, said the Omnia Training consortium has spent more than three years developing the capability for the British Army.
Gray added that the consortium’s UK-based engineers and technology specialists will deliver a new level of training realism while demonstrating effective collaboration between industry and the Army.
“Our UK‑based team of innovators, engineers and experts will give soldiers and commanders a new level of training realism and set an example for effective collaboration between the Army and industry.”
How Does ACTS Support the British Army’s Long-Term Strategy?
Backed by the UK’s $398.9 billion Defence Investment Plan over the next four years, the Army’s Collective Training Service supports the British government’s objective of becoming 10 times more lethal by 2035.
