Army Recruits Reserves With Virtual Reality

The Army has launched a new recruitment campaign for the reserves which involves the virtual-reality Oculus Rift headset so wearers can experience a "real-world scenario of volunteering".

The wraparound headset, being used for the first time at recruitment events in London and Manchester today, will immerse the wearer into a live fire exercise with the Army Reserve on Salisbury Plain.

As a crewman in a Challenger 2 tank, the wearer will be surrounded by other tanks that are engaging enemy positions using laser sights, as well as communicating with other soldiers in armoured vehicles driving alongside them.

Major General Chris Tickell, director-general of the Army recruiting and training division, said: "By using the virtual headsets, people will be able to step straight into an exciting real-world scenario of volunteering with the Army Reserve and the huge variety of challenging roles there are to choose from.

"Introducing virtual reality technology is just one of the ways that the Army is transforming the way it recruits.

"We have also recently introduced a simplified, flexible, online web application form for mobile, tablet or desktop; a new 100% Army Fit app which helps new recruits build their fitness to the level of a soldier in training; and new mobile recruitment offices, enabling us to cover larger geographical areas and making it easier for potential recruits to find out more."

The Rift headset is made by Oculus, a virtual reality specialist firm which initially received funding for the device through crowd-sourced funding site Kickstarter.

The Oculus Rift gained more than $2m (£1.3m) in backing when it was first unveiled in 2012, and last year Oculus was bought by Facebook for $2bn.

Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg said at the time of the acquisition: "With Oculus, it's that they're the clear leader in something that has the potential to be the next important, or one of the next most important, computing platforms."

The headset is yet to go on consumer sale, though it is available online as a development kit for around £230.