The contract was signed and booked in December 2024, with the project officially commencing in January 2025. Scheduled to run for four years, VTAM will provide a networked training environment for naval personnel, improving operational readiness and coordination.
VTAM is the first system of its kind to be introduced into the German Navy, simulating both external combat operations and internal damage control on warships. Rheinmetall Electronic Solutions GmbH will supply and install the necessary hardware and software at six naval bases across Germany.
The system enables joint virtual training for vessel crews, boat teams, and naval aviation units. By integrating various combat scenarios, VTAM will allow personnel to train in realistic operational environments without deploying ships to sea.
Rheinmetall’s solution supports networking across multiple dimensions, including simulation, tactical data links, voice communication, and web services. The training centres will be established at Wilhelmshaven, Rostock-Warnemünde, Bremerhaven, Eckernförde, Kiel, and Nordholz.
VTAM will also enable the integration of corvettes and frigates at bases in Rostock-Warnemünde and Wilhelmshaven, allowing crews on board to participate in joint exercises. The Distributed Training Center (DTC), based at the Naval Support Command in Wilhelmshaven, will oversee technical networking and training coordination.
Ships moored at these bases will be able to take part in exercises using radio communications and tactical data link systems. This approach is based on Rheinmetall’s Naval Mission Training Center, previously delivered to an export customer in 2023.
By integrating voice communications and real-time situational awareness data, VTAM will enable crews to participate in networked virtual exercises using their existing on-board systems. The system ensures that future and existing naval simulation capabilities can be seamlessly connected.
