Realidad virtual como herramienta para el entrenamiento ante amenazas híbridas en el Ejército Nacional de Colombia

This document presents a qualitative research study with a descriptive scope, through an analysis of the understanding of the application of military doctrine, specifically that which is related to the training of competencies for responding to hybrid threats; as well as an analysis of officers’ perceptions about the contribution of simulated scenarios in training. The research conducted information gathering through a survey among different officers, with varying levels of education and experiences in the field of military operations. Likewise, a collection of anonymous testimonies was made to identify specific understandings of military doctrine in the face of these types of threats. The collected data were contrasted with a literature review and a bibliometric analysis concerning the typology of these threats within Colombian territory.The critical variables that must be considered for developing simulated environments in virtual reality systems for military training were identified. As a result, it is recognized that hybrid threats in Colombia are primarily composed of ambush-type events; this type of attack has an average level of understanding under current doctrine. It was also identified that the reaction to such events is largely supported by individual experience in military operations; therefore, competency training should be based on expertise as a combination of both doctrine and immersive training. Finally, it is concluded that simulators supported by virtual reality tools strengthen the development of the army’s capabilities; however, increased use of simulators in the formative processes of soldiers is required.