US Navy,
SAN DIEGO: Naval Base San Diego hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil its newest navigation, seamanship and ship handling trainer (NSST) on June 11.
NSST is a state-of-the art bridge simulator used to train ship crews in navigation and ship handling using virtual technology.
The NSST program was launched to improve training efficiency and effectiveness and to reduce training costs. The program updates the Navy’s current navigation, seamanship and ship handling training systems and provides high fidelity, user-friendly navigation training in all fleet concentration areas and on board Navy warships.
“I’m absolutely delighted to be here to do this ribbon cutting,” said Commander, Naval Surface Forces Vice Adm. Terrance T. Etnyre. “I firmly believe this is going to have a dramatic impact on the ability to train our officers and bridge crews to navigate and perform ship handling.”
The NSST system has already been established in Everett, Wash., Pearl Harbor, Yokosuka and Sasebo, Japan.
“These simulators are designed essentially to create a virtual maritime environment identical to conditions you would experience at sea in a real ship,” said Garland Hardy, a sub-contractor assigned to provide NSST training. “That allows us to provide realistic training to the Navy for all aspects of navigation, ship handling and seamanship. We can teach people how to respond to dangerous situations and potentially catastrophic scenarios in an environment that is completely safe.”
Quartermaster 1st Class (SW) Jose Loya, assigned to Afloat Training Group, Pacific, said the training was very realistic.
“If you know you are going to do an underway replenishment, you can come here, jump on the simulator and try to get the effect,” said Loya. “It’s going to benefit the Navy and all the ship handlers out there.”
