Kongsberg Maritime to Deliver Bridge Simulators and VR Training Suite to French Naval Academy

The French Navy has ordered a comprehensive suite of bridge simulators, virtual reality, and 3D visualisation technology from Kongsberg Maritime for installation at the École Navale in Lanvéoc, Brest, with delivery scheduled for October 2026. The contract will replace the academy's existing training system with a fully integrated simulation environment built around four full-mission ship bridge simulators, hybrid bridges, and ECDIS-configured desktop systems, providing the next generation of French naval cadets and officers with high-fidelity training across operational scenarios.

 

Scope of the Simulator Package

 

The contract covers four full-mission K-Sim Navigation ship bridge simulators, each equipped with a 270-degree visual environment and integrated radar systems to support realistic team training. The configuration is designed to replicate the operational complexity of modern naval bridges, where situational awareness depends on the integration of visual, radar, and electronic chart inputs in real time. Alongside the four full-mission simulators, the contract includes two hybrid bridges designed for multi-purpose training, providing flexibility to switch between mission profiles and instructional contexts. A set of desktop simulators configured for ECDIS training will be delivered for classroom use, supporting structured electronic chart and information system instruction in a teaching environment.

 

Integration of VR and Mixed Reality

 

A distinguishing feature of the contract is the integration of virtual reality and mixed reality 3D visualisation alongside the conventional simulation infrastructure. The combination allows cadets to move between immersive scenario-based exercises and structured bridge operations, supporting a layered approach to training that begins with familiarisation and builds toward complex multi-vessel and mission-level scenarios. VR and mixed reality components are increasingly used in naval training programmes because they can replicate confined-space operations, damage control situations, and tactical scenarios in environments that would otherwise be costly or impractical to recreate using physical assets.

 

Customised Warship Models and Sailing Areas

 

Under the agreement, Kongsberg Maritime will develop customised warship models and tailored sailing areas designed around the operational requirements and training objectives of the French Navy. That level of customisation is significant for naval training because realistic vessel handling characteristics and accurate representations of operational sea areas are central to the credibility of bridge simulation. The ability to embed specific French Navy platforms and operating environments into the simulator software ensures that training outcomes translate effectively to live operations, rather than functioning as a generic familiarisation tool.

 

Read more: PIL, PSA and DNV Launch Singapore Land-Sea Service to Cut Scope 3 Shipping Emissions

 

French Navy Perspective on the Investment

 

Commandant Gabriel of the French Navy has framed the order as a direct replacement of the academy's previous training system, with the new simulators providing access to advanced simulation technology and naval-specific functionality. The objective is to support highly realistic and effective training for cadets and officers, enabling exposure to complex operational scenarios, enhanced team performance, and preparation for real-world missions in an increasingly demanding maritime environment. The framing reflects a broader trend across naval forces, where rising operational complexity, including the proliferation of sensors, autonomous systems, and contested maritime domains, has placed greater emphasis on advanced simulation as a structured pathway to operational readiness.

 

Strategic Position in Naval Training Networks

 

Kongsberg Maritime's managing director for simulation, Are Follesdal Tjonn, has positioned the contract as the entry of the French Naval Academy into a global community of leading naval academies that rely on Kongsberg simulation technology for immersive training and education. That community of users is commercially relevant because it strengthens the network effects associated with simulation platforms, including the ability to share training scenarios, exchange instructional best practices, and maintain a common technical baseline for joint exercises. For the French Navy, joining a network of comparable academies aligns its training infrastructure with international peers and supports interoperability in multilateral training exercises.

 

Kongsberg Maritime's Recent Corporate Move

 

The contract has been announced shortly after Kongsberg Maritime began trading on the Euronext Oslo Stock Exchange on 23 April following its spin-off from Kongsberg Gruppen. The listing has positioned the company as a stand-alone publicly traded entity focused on maritime technology, including simulation, propulsion, and digital systems. Securing a high-profile naval academy contract in the early period after listing provides a meaningful commercial validation of the company's simulation business at a time when investors are evaluating the standalone growth profile of the new entity. The naval training segment is one of several long-cycle markets that supports the company's positioning as a specialised maritime technology provider.

 

Wider Trends in Naval Simulation

 

The French Navy investment reflects a broader trajectory in naval education, in which simulation is moving from a supplementary training tool to a central component of cadet and officer development. Modern naval operations require fluency across a widening range of systems, including integrated bridge systems, electronic warfare interfaces, cyber-resilient communication networks, and unmanned platforms. Simulation environments offer a structured way to expose trainees to those systems before they encounter them on operational platforms, improving learning outcomes and reducing the operational cost of early-stage training. The trend has also been reinforced by growing interest in scenario-based training built around contested maritime environments, where decision-making under stress is a critical capability.

 

Implications for the Maritime Training Market

 

The award reinforces Kongsberg Maritime's positioning in the global maritime simulation market and signals continued demand for high-specification training systems in the naval segment. As naval forces in Europe and beyond modernise their training infrastructure, contracts of this nature are likely to grow in both scale and frequency, particularly where existing systems are reaching the end of their useful life. For the wider maritime training market, the integration of full-mission simulators, hybrid bridges, VR, and mixed reality into a single coordinated environment offers a template for how next-generation naval academies will approach the development of cadets and officers prepared to operate in an increasingly complex maritime domain.