British Army widens use of RTES, contemplates additional systems

Replicas of Airsoft SA80 and M4 rifles fitted with Bagira's RTES kit displayed at DSET 2025. (Giles Ebbutt)

The British Army has altered its approach to the deployment of the Bagira Systems Roundless Tactical Engagement Simulation (RTES) system and is looking to expand the capability, Janes has learnt. RTES is based on Bagira's MAGNET Live Training System (LTS).

The RTES system integrates a surrogate small arms (SA80) and support weapon (L129A1 Sharpshooter Rifle and general purpose machine gun [GPMG]) containing a loudspeaker and the system's core electronics, together with a combined barrel-mounted small-arms laser transmitter (SAT) and a flashlight that is linked to the magazine via Wi-Fi. When the trigger is pulled, a sound comparable with a blank discharge is generated from the loudspeaker with an accompanying flash, and the SAT generates a laser ‘shot'.

The magazine has integrated geolocating and cellular communications to support tracking, after-action review, and exercise control in an instrumented environment. Each user is provided with a head-mounted laser detector linked to the magazine via Wi-Fi, giving 360° hit detection.

Bagira was awarded the RTES contract in early 2023, following the provision of an earlier version to 3 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment in 2019. Worth initially GBP5.4 million (USD7.2 million) the contract was for three equipment packs, each sufficient for 60 trainees. Speaking at the Defence Simulation Education and Training (DSET) 2025 conference held in Bristol from 8 to 10 July, Nick Williams, Bagira senior director of marketing and business development, told Janes that initially the equipment packs had been located at the Army Foundation College at Harrogate and with the Combat Manoeuvre Centre in Warminster.