What is a Synthetic Operating Environment?

Summary

The Synthetic Environment has become the new Operating Environment. Find out how rapid advancements in connectivity, scalability, and AI have changed the game.

Defence
3 min read

A term commonly used in the defence industry (and mainly associated with Live, Virtual, and Constructive training), synthetic environments are virtual representations of real-world spaces that allow users to interact with realistic scenarios, test ideas, and learn from their actions in a safe and controlled space.

Thanks to rapid advancements in connectivity, scalability, and AI, these environments are now being used to access real-time data in live operations. Data can be consumed, contextualised and aggregated at speed, allowing governments and businesses to access critical information at the time of relevance – the synthetic environment has become the new operating environment.

A Synthetic Real-time Command Centre

SOEs provide a real-time, dynamic, and comprehensive view of your entire organisation and its operating environment. Whether it’s across geopolitical theatres, global supply chains or financial risk and analysis, instead of navigating disparate data silos, you have a single, unified view of everything from individual assets and personnel to market trends and global events. Synthetic Operating Environments (or SOEs) enhance their users’ abilities to plan, train and make better, faster decisions.

The true power of SOEs lies in their ability to democratise access to complex data and advanced analytics, making these tools available to a wider audience. AI acts as the interface, translating the raw data into actionable insights and recommendations. Decision-makers at all levels of organisations can benefit from a deeper understanding of their operating environment and make more informed decisions that drive efficiency, innovation, and resilience.

Delivering the Promise of Digital Twins

While similar to digital twins, SOEs distinguish themselves through their ability to handle the vast scale and realism needed to reflect real-world operations. Digital twins have long promised similar capabilities – but access to data and computing power necessary to make sense of all that real-time information has relied on modelling talent to iron out the complexities of the real world. With Synthetic Operating Environments, this is no longer the case.

Synthetic Operating Environments are not just a reflection of reality though – they are a powerful tool for shaping the future. SOEs exploit simulations and AI predictive models, giving us the power to not only understand the present but also to predict and influence future outcomes.

Download our new eBook

If you are interested in learning more about how SOEs are transforming the way organisations approach everything from planning, to training, to real-time operations and strategic decision-making, read this new eBook: Synthetic Operating Environments: The critical infrastructure required for Digital Twin Success

In it, we explore how SOEs can:

  • Provide unprecedented situational awareness by connecting and contextualising data from across an entire organisation.
  • Unlock the full potential of digital twins by providing the scale, interoperability, and computational power necessary to model complex systems with high fidelity.
  • Enable faster, smarter decision-making by using AI to analyse vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and recommend optimal solutions.
  • Future-proof operations by providing a flexible and scalable digital backbone for adopting new technologies and AI-driven innovations.

The future belongs to those who are prepared for it.

Download the ebook today and discover how SOEs can help your organisation gain a strategic advantage in a rapidly evolving landscape. You’ll learn how to leverage these powerful tools to make better decisions, optimise performance, and stay ahead of the curve.