They use the video game Fortnite to train the Javelin missiles

Video games have a history of increasingly frequent fusion with the military. From the use of glasses to virtual reality simulations. Now the link becomes closer: the graphics engine that powers the popular Fortnite will be incorporated into Javelin missiles. Aspiring tank killers from around the world could soon blast out armor in an enhanced simulated environment powered by a graphics engine used for the video game Fortnite.

The Javelin is one of the most advanced man-portable missile systems in the world, capable of destroying virtually any tank. And its new update will carry the Unreal 4 engine from Epic Games, the company that developed Fortnite. When it comes to becoming familiar with the controls of the Javelin system, those responsible for its control are previously trained with virtual models that recreate all the characteristics of the missile and its controls. In this way you avoid having to spend millions of euros on training. That means these simulations are often the only prior experience for many before engaging an enemy vehicle.

The bet of those responsible for the missile design is that the graphics engine will guarantee a more realistic experience. In fact, in introducing the updates, Army Times noted significant improvements in image quality, terrain options, and target realism. During the event some journalists they were able to test the new model and were even able to destroy a simulated T-72 tank.

The idea is that the upgrades will hit the missiles in 2025, more than 20 years after the Javelin’s first training system. This will benefit the countries that purchase these missiles, as they are the ones that receive a number of training devices to gain control over them. At the moment about 900 of these training devices are spread all over the world.

The use of this graphics engine will allow the development of new customized scenarios according to the specifications of each client, which will be more realistic not only in the images or in the scenarios, but also in the reproduction of the mission characteristics: temperature, wind, range, speed, type of tank and armor among other variables. Until now about 2,500 Javelins were produced per year but in the next two years, with the arrival of the new engine, the figures will double.