IT2EC 2025: Focused Interaction in a Turbulent World

MS&T’s Special Correspondent Andy Fawkes attended IT2EC 2025 held 25-27 March in Oslo. Opening under the banner “Accelerating the technology of tomorrow into today’s training” the question looming over the event was whether tomorrow is already here - and whether our training systems are ready.

Training and simulation events are often predictable - valuable for learning, discovery, and networking, but rarely surprising. However, IT2EC 2025 seemed different from the norm, perhaps on the cusp of a new era.  It is an extraordinarily turbulent world: relationships between allies are fragile like never before, disruptive technology beyond the control of the military seemingly emerges every day, defence budgets are rising, and last but not least contemporary warfare has changed in unimaginable ways from just a very few years ago.  In this context, preparing the warfighter is more urgent than ever and must concern military leaders, R&D, acquisition, industry, and academia alike. Should warfighters wait for traditional procurement cycles, or is a faster, more responsive model - shaped by lessons from Ukraine - needed? Many of these issues were touched on and discussed at IT2EC 2025.

The event itself was held at the NOVA Spektrum Conference Centre in Lillestrøm just outside of Oslo. As in previous years its sister show Undersea Defence Technology was held in the same centre. Although IT2EC is not as large as shows such as I/ITSEC it did give a chance to speak to event attendees in a less busy atmosphere. Certainly, some of the verbal feedback afterwards was the event felt “focused” and “quality over quantity”. Having said that, the 3-day event flew by, and I struggled myself to visit every stand especially with a busy parallel conference programme.

Keynotes: A Revolution in Military Affairs

The keynotes sessions were exceptional. They highlighted the pressing need to transform military training in response to changing warfare, geopolitical instability and emerging technologies. In the opening keynote, Major General Lars Lervik, Chief of the Norwegian Army, outlined Norway’s historic defence expansion, driven largely by the war in Ukraine. The Army will triple in size and firepower over the next decade. Lervik stressed balancing live operations with cost-effective, simulation-based training, emphasising the shift toward more distributed and mobile systems that address demand and environmental concerns. He also noted the expectations of digitally native conscripts who anticipate modern, tech-driven training.

The keynote panel, featuring leaders including Major General Dag Rist Aamoth and AVM Ian Townsend, examined how AI, XR, and wargaming are reshaping defence education. Aamoth underscored the importance of partnerships with NATO, academia, and industry to drive innovation. Townsend called data a “strategic asset,” warning that failing to harness it poses serious operational risks.

The NATO Multi-Domain session focused on challenges in multinational, multi-domain training.  We learnt current conflicts demand adaptable doctrine, leaner HQs, and faster decision-making to counter threats like drones. Major General James Kriesel called drone warfare a “revolution in military affairs,” noting how low-cost swarms are redefining air and ground tactics. “We’re not preparing for an imagined future,” added Major General Bogdan Rycerski. “We’re training for the war that’s already happening.”

AI: Ubiquitous, but Still Evolving

Artificial Intelligence was a central theme throughout IT2EC 2025, described as transformational but with risks. While its integration into military training is accelerating - from personalised learning to scenario generation - speakers emphasised that AI remains far from settled. The conference chair Dr. Benjamin Bell noted that today’s AI is no longer just aspirational; it’s embedded across simulations, analytics, and adaptive systems. However, trust and safety remain core concerns. Dr. Simona Soare from Lancaster University highlighted that 85% of NATO-aligned countries still view AI as a moderate to high-risk technology, with cybersecurity cited as the leading obstacle to wider adoption.  Procurement sclerosis is another challenge. Tim Colebrook of Mission Decisions sees “significant growth in demand as defence gets more comfortable and courageous with AI” but they were encountering significant procurement “paralysis”.  When AI should be used at all was raised by USAF Chief Learning Officer Christina Parker remarking “I often say if the only data you have is the data that is human digestible on its own, then you haven't done anything by adding a sophisticated analysis to it”.

Training with Data, Not Just Intuition

Data is an essential ingredient for today’s AI and was a dominant theme at IT2EC - not just in terms of collection, but as a strategic resource. Whether generated by XR devices, simulators, or wearable sensors, training data is increasingly seen as a foundation for force readiness. “We haven’t even scratched the itch when it comes to data,” said AVM Ian Townsend, Director of Training for the UK RAF. “If we had recorded 20 years of simulator missions, we could now be using AI to analyse decision patterns, spot weaknesses, and train better commanders. But we didn’t. And that means we’re behind.”

The tools to address that gap were well represented. Cervus, VRAI, and 4C Strategies all presented platforms to unlock value from existing training data. Cervus' AI-powered dashboards support evidence-led decisions; VRAI tracks high-fidelity human performance in immersive environments; 4C’s Exonaut system, now in expanded use with the Norwegian Armed Forces, enables planning, execution and after-action analysis across distributed forces​. But all three face a familiar roadblock: training data remains siloed across units, systems and services.

XR: From Novelty to Necessity

At past editions of IT²EC, extended reality (XR) might have been relegated to novelty status - interesting, but not essential. That is no longer the case. Townsend gave a specific example of augmented reality in the context of maintenance training. He mentioned seeing a "brilliant system recently where instead of actually having a vehicle we were maintaining it using augmented reality".  Inzpire showcased a mixed reality JTAC trainer that using Varjo headsets within a green cave allows trainees to naturally interact with both real-world equipment. InVeris highlighted its mixed reality platforms FATS AR, that enhance human performance without the risks and costs of live ammunition. Not all visual displays are XR-based now, however. 3D Perception showcased their Draco Fast-Jet Mini-Dome Simulator Display, a compact dome-based high-fidelity visual display system designed for fast jet simulation.

Drone Warfare Is Now

At IT2EC, the implications of drone warfare were inescapable and discussed many times in the conference. Cheap, scalable, and improvisational, drones have become the signature weapon of modern conflict and overturned assumptions about force protection, ISR, and strike doctrine.  But despite what might be considered a very strong demand signal, there was not as much exhibition space devoted to training for offensive and defensive drone operations as one might have hoped.

However, some of the exhibitors were offering up drone operation training aids. SAAB highlighted their new indirect fire training capabilities as part of its hybrid live-virtual-constructive (LVC) suite and which now includes instrumented drones that can be flown over live exercises. Bohemia Interactive Simulations presented a software solution with its VBS4 FPV drone demonstrator and geospatial data pipelines that allow rapid transformation of drone-collected terrain into simulation-ready environments - compressing what once took weeks into hours.

DualTech

The IT2EC DualTech Challenge is a competition uniting developers, researchers, and companies to present dual-use technologies - serving both military and civilian needs. This year’s theme, adaptive situational awareness, focused on decision-making in high-interference environments. Finalists showcased aligned innovations: Varjo Technologies demonstrated the XR-4 Secure Edition for immersive defence training, while SAIF Autonomy introduced NEXUS, a system for integrating autonomous platforms. The winner, Or Ben-Shabat of Digital Combat Academy, presented "From Chaos to Readiness," a multi-player game-based simulation platform based on real combat lessons and developed in weeks. DCA earned the trophy and a spot at IT2EC 2026.

On the theme of technology, some companies were showing how they were building new capabilities on mature technology. Ternion exhibited their Unreal integration with the FLAMES simulation and Valkyrie described their web-based JTLS-GO simulation built on the long standing JTLS platform.

Doctrine, Data and Demand: A Call to Unity

Despite the technological readiness on display, many attendees quietly noted a strategic disconnect. While NATO representation was strong - particularly from its training commands - the absence of senior national acquisition officials raised concerns. The risk, as several panellists noted, is that industry continues to innovate in a vacuum, while procurement cycles remain tethered to outdated requirements.

Conclusion: Training to Prevail

IT2EC 2025 may have launched with a spotlight on accelerating tomorrow’s technologies, but its lasting message was clear: the real challenge is acting on what’s already available today. The event may well be remembered as a pivotal moment. Many of the technologies were no longer experimental - they were ready. And so was the urgency. As highlighted throughout the conference, future conflicts may arrive too quickly for catch-up. The question now isn’t whether innovation is coming, but whether we’re willing to adapt before it’s too late.

IT2EC returns to ExCeL London 14–16 April 2026. Given the pace of global change, there’s no telling what new capabilities - or cautions - the next gathering will bring.