A VIRTUAL reality military simulator partly developed by technology company QinetiQ is being tested at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire.

The Malvern-based firm is part of an international consortium working on the £7.8 million Mission Training through Distributed Simulation programme.

The simulator includes a number of aircraft cockpits where aircrews can take part in realistic tactical exercises, and the testing programme aims to demonstrate how it works.

The system can also be linked to similar ones in the USA, so pilots can train alongside their American counterparts.