REISER and Varjo stage XR training event in Germany
REISER Simulation and Training GmbH and Varjo hosted a one-day experience event on 24 June to demonstrate the use of extended reality (XR) technologies in training for defence, aerospace and civil aviation applications. Held at REISER’s facility south of Munich, the event brought together invited representatives from the aerospace, defence, civil aviation and training communities.
Organised under the theme “New Realities Outpace Training – XR Closes the Gap”, the programme focused on how training systems can respond to rapidly changing technological, operational and mission requirements. Operators, system integrators, decision-makers and technology specialists examined the role of high-quality XR simulation in supporting training across land, air and civil aviation domains.
REISER and Varjo presented XR as an operational training capability rather than a future concept. Through expert presentations, live demonstrations, and technical discussions, participants examined current XR-based training systems, their practical use, and the challenges associated with integrating them into existing training settings.
The programme included presentations by Nico Lange, founder and Director of the IRIS Institute for Risk Analysis and International Security and Senior Fellow at CEPA in Washington DC, Hanno Tabeling, Vice President of Land Simulation Medium Forces at Rheinmetall, and Florian Rabe, Managing Director of DRF Academy. Their presentations covered developments in the security environment, the future of multi-domain mission training and the application of XR simulation from an operator’s perspective.
Live demonstrations showcased the REISER H135 XR Simulator, the Rheinmetall Virtual Procedure Trainer (VPT), and several mixed-reality technologies from Varjo. These included AI-based smart segmentation and a counter-uncrewed-aircraft-system training demonstration. Attendees also discussed deployment, operational coordination and future training requirements with specialists from REISER, Varjo, Rheinmetall and the wider user community.
Martin Keil, Chief Technology Officer at REISER, said modern training systems must continue to progress alongside operational requirements. He said XR-based simulation supports the development of scalable and adaptable training systems designed to meet operational functions.
Varjo used the event to highlight the role of high-performance XR technology in mission-critical training applications. Valentin Storz, the company’s Chief Revenue Officer, said mixed reality has become an established training capability rather than a future concept. He said developing threats, including drone warfare, require training methods that can be deployed more rapidly than established approaches. He added that the company’s collaboration with REISER demonstrates the current use of high-quality XR technology in synthetic training.
The event brought together organisers, speakers, technology partners and participants to examine immersive training technologies for civil and military applications. Alongside the demonstrations, discussions focused on pragmatic implementation, operational coordination and future training requirements across multiple domains.
Nico Lange said the security environment is evolving more quickly than many existing training systems can keep pace with. He said XR-based simulation offers a credible way of addressing that gap and indicated that the technology is ready for operational training applications.
The event ended with further discussions between attendees, technology providers and industry representatives. By combining specialist presentations with live demonstrations and technical discussions, the experience day examined the practical application of XR technologies and their role in supporting training across the defence, aerospace and civil aviation sectors.
