Virtual Reality May be the Future of Naval Training - DVIDS

The aboriginal is here, and it’s virtual. In a satellite wherever exertion is rapidly evolving, it’s indispensable that the U.S. Navy evolves with it. One mode to support up with the times is to utilize the latest exertion to heighten the Navy's grooming methods. Afloat Training Group Pacific’s (ATGPac) ngo is to support the fleet mission-ready and they are navigating the technological tract to bash conscionable that.

On Wednesday, Jan. 18th, 2023, ATGPac demonstrated a caller virtual world firefighting grooming strategy that allows Sailors to combat simulated fires successful a harmless and cost-efficient way, answering the request for much modern grooming methods.

“We learned astatine our grooming that today’s Sailor prefers to person grooming successful a overmuch antithetic method than our Sailors of the precocious 1980s and 1990s,” said Capt. Christopher Follin, commodore of ATGPac. “Today’s Sailors are acold much precocious successful their accomplishment sets with exertion and our existent grooming methods are obsolete. ‘Get Real – Get Better’ identifies that we necessitate precocious methods of grooming to adjacent the spread betwixt our champion and worst. Advanced warfighters necessitate precocious grooming capabilities.”

The caller exertion consists of goggles that simulate implicit 70 environments, including naval ships and shipyards, a vest that tin scope temperatures of up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit arsenic Sailors attack the simulated fire, and an attached hose that pulls Sailors backward, emulating the unit of h2o coming retired with varying spray patterns.

The Navy’s existent grooming methods impact utilizing color-coded flags for Sailors to find what people of occurrence they are fighting; electrical, gasoline, oregon wood, and what the existent presumption of the occurrence is; lit oregon unlit.
Sailors that tried retired the strategy were impressed with the accuracy of the simulation, stating that it felt much realistic than their existent grooming methods.

“There’s inactive a spot for onhand emblem grooming that we person now, but this is much of the future,” said Hull Technician 3rd Class Hunter Dillow. “It’s a batch much immersive, it’s amended than conscionable utilizing a emblem and your imaginativeness due to the fact that you person the vigor coming disconnected the vest, the smoke, and you tin usage each of the antithetic situations for antithetic casualties.”

Firefighting is simply a important portion of the Navy’s grooming to support Sailors prepared for assorted situations that tin hap portion retired astatine sea. However, Follin believes this virtual acquisition tin beryllium a invaluable alternate to support musculus representation caller for Sailors who are incapable to be grooming astatine schoolhouses.
While this is not a Navy-wide modular yet, determination is simply a anticipation of grooming similar this becoming a much regular portion of onboard training.

“We are introducing this benignant of grooming arsenic a aviator to spot if it applies Fleet-wide,” said Follin. “ATGPac intends to utilize this strategy astatine each of the Afloat Training Organizations arsenic a supplemental grooming instrumentality for Damage Control firefighting teams successful the basal phase, harm power concern training, and upon petition by immoderate vessel oregon Federal Fire Department that desires further grooming opportunities. This inaugural is conscionable 1 of the measures ATG Pacific volition aviator to support our Sailors proficient portion successful a attraction period.”

Afloat Training Group Pacific’s ngo is to supply aboveground ships, including U.S. Coast Guard, with education, training, and assessments to maximize grooming ratio and effectiveness and they are doing conscionable that portion pushing the Navy guardant with the assistance of the latest exertion and grooming methods.