A U.S. Navy contractor is preparing a request for proposals to build a $50-million to $80-million warship simulator capable of subjecting crews of nearly 400 graduating boot-camp recruits to virtual trials by sea duty, fire, flood and mass casualty emergencies.
The designers of Battle Stations 21 have been charged with creating a large sound stage with a ship mock-up inside, complete with water and a pier. Recruits will experience moving aboard, handling lines, standing watch, fighting fires and controlling damage. The intent is to create a virtual experience that will deliver the look, feel and rising stress levels that a crew would face during a 12-hour cruise that turns into an emergency aboard a guided missile destroyer.