Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Cool stuff

Today, the Navy brought a simulator to the high school and set it up in the parking lot. One and all were invited to take a ride. It was reminiscent of the Link trainers I remember from years ago, but this thing seats 12 and is a recruiting tool. Of course I took a ride.

It was based on a scenario where a SEAL team is landed ashore, designates an industrial target and multiple weapon systems destroy it by fire. At various times during the simulation, the viewer was on a submarine, swimming with the SEAL team, aboard a guided missile cruiser, aboard an aircraft carrier, and flying with FA18 Hornets. I was impressed that they set up the fire mission as a TOT (Time on Target) where multiple weapons systems fire at differing times to put all the ordnance on target at the same time. Of course, the good guys won.

I asked the recruiters if they had one for the Marine Corps and they admitted that they did, but that it only showed lots of poorly dressed people slogging through mud and dust and sand. Not an overly impressive demonstration.

2 comments:

be603 said...

Too late for the Son&Heir. According to the MCRD training matrix his platoon was up for "Pugel Sticks II" today.

Justin said...

"Not an overly impressive demonstration"

Bah, it was reading books about Marines slogging through mud in Vietnam that challanged me to find out if I had what it takes. Turns out I do and it sucks worse than the stories said it did, but I wouldn't trade that experience for anything.