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Introducing digital twins to help Strike Net reduce risk and improve fleet-wide connectivity

Aerial view of a naval fleet, featuring an aircraft carrier flanked by several smaller warships, sailing in formation across a deep blue sea. White wakes create trails behind each vessel, illustrating their coordinated movement.

Who is the client?

Strike Net is an initiative by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD). Its principle aim is to enhance the connectivity and interoperability of its armed forces, with a particular focus on improving information sharing and decision-making across different platforms and systems. 

What was the problem?

Modern naval vessels can’t afford to operate as siloed ecosystems. When they’re part of a supporting fleet, they need the ability to communicate, exchange data, and share specialised equipment with other vessels, such as sonar and radar.

The MOD wanted to make progress in these areas, and also have a way to strategically prepare for potential threats, such as an attack on a critical system during operations.

What was the Expleo solution?

We led a team that helped to develop digital twins architecture and solutions for the emerging phases of the Strike Net programme.

Digital twins enable physical objects and systems to be replicated using real-time data, and our role involved managing the architecture and design authority setup. We also oversaw the delivery of the project and established a foundation for the next steps of development.

How did that help?

The digital twin ecosystem will enhance the connectivity and interoperability of our client’s systems. Specifically, it’ll enable vessels to operate in a denied or degraded environment (such as when space communications become unavailable).

It will also provide the ability to integrate platform sensors and action devices, giving decision-makers increased visibility and control over this connected environment.

Furthermore, our solution will allow our client to digitally copy their vessels using accurate live data, which can be used to run threat scenarios and test everything from fuelling decisions to air support requirements.

What were the results?

With the ability to digitally model real-world assets, our client can now:

  • Optimise operational decision-making, efficiency, and effectiveness.
  • Comprehensively coordinate strike network operations.
  • Reduce risk by simulating and testing scenarios in a virtual environment.
  • Adapt to evolving mission requirements and operational environments.

Could it work for me?

In a word, yes. Digital twins can be used in far less complex ecosystems than national defence. For instance, in the marine sector, we’ve helped organisations use the technology to improve the capabilities of wind farms and reduce the carbon emissions from agricultural ecosystems. We’ve also worked with an automotive plant to optimise their painting process, cutting paint waste by 80%. Both applications have delivered significant environmental and economic benefits.

In contrast to simulations, which operate in entirely virtual environments isolated from the physical world, digital twins replicate specific real-world assets equipped with sensors. This is a pathway to providing high resolution, real-time information into the twin.

Deputy Chief Engineer, Expleo. 

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