A Glimpse Into The Future Of Military Planning
The Virtual Battle System (VBS) was launched on 15 Jul by the Chief
of Army, MG Desmond Kuek. Housed in the SAF Centre for Military
Experimentation, the VBS offers the SAF a virtual simulation
capability, which will give soldiers a clearer picture of their
mission on the battlefield even before they set off.
The VBS was developed by Defence Science and Technology Agency
System and Command, Control, Communications and Computers
(DSTA-S&C4). The engineers made use of commercial off-the-shelf
software and hardware products to keep development and future
upgrading costs competitive.
With the VBS, military planners will be able to simulate futuristic
weapon systems, command and control processes and combat scenarios,
even though real conditions may not yet exist to support physical
trials. This is a critical benefit that will help military planners
better visualise and perform long-term planning. As a tool for
strategic military planning, the VBS can play a significant role in
enhancing the SAFs long-term defence capability. 
