In December 2025, BAE Systems’ OneArc secured a five-year contract from the Italian Ministry of Defense to upgrade the Italian Army’s virtual training ecosystem. The program will introduce VBS4 for virtual training and mission rehearsal, along with Mantle for terrain generation.
The agreement replaces legacy VBS3 systems with VBS4 capability, new training workstations, integrated fires functions and updated terrain tools. The upgrade is aimed to strengthen the Army’s simulation readiness.
Virtual environments support procedural training across the Italian Army, including armored and aviation crews, FIRES operators, snipers and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs). The upgrade supports ongoing Army training operations across units.
“This upgrade is a major step toward the Italian Army’s future-ready virtual training architecture,” said Rahul C. Thakkar, president of OneArc. “With VBS4 and Mantle, Italy gains a foundation capable of supporting complex, multi-domain training, autonomous terrain generation and enhanced JTAC readiness – all aligned with evolving NATO standards.”
The shift to VBS4 and Mantle allows the Italian Army to conduct multi-weapon, multi-domain procedural training across varied scenarios – unrestricted by terrain, weather or logistics. It also aligns Army systems with NATO and allied partners that use VBS4, Blue IG and Mantle for mission rehearsal and training.
Source: BAE Systems
About BAE Systems
BAE Systems is a leader in lifecycle support for commercial aircraft, providing engineering, maintenance, and repair services that span every phase of an aircraft’s life, supporting more than 600 operators and 33,000 aircraft worldwide. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Falls Church, VA, BAE Systems Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, developing and manufacturing defense and aerospace systems for military and government use, including electronic warfare, armored vehicles, naval vessels, munitions, aerospace components, cybersecurity, and intelligence systems. The company employs about 41,000 people across 38 states and multiple international locations, supports U.S. defense programs such as F-35 fighter electronics and naval ship maintenance, and holds more than 2,000 patents across its technology and manufacturing operations.