On Friday News published that the US Navy is starting to use Xbox 360 controllers to control periscopes on their latest nuclear-powered warfare warships and submarines. Virginia-class submarines use mast-up digital cameras that marine officers can view on various screens, instead of the standard single viewer turning periscope built into early crafts. Until recently, these modern photonics columns were controlled by joysticks that cost about $38,000 and expected hours of training. But the Navy has understood that the Xbox 360 controller is cheaper ($39.95) and comfortable to learn. Senior Chief Mark Eichenlaub, second navigator of the USS John Warner, a ship that has started using Xbox controllers, told News “I can go to any video game store and obtain an Xbox controller everywhere in the world, so it makes a very easy replacement.”
This is far of the first time the US military has used gaming technology with their crafts and weapons. The Army has done a Xbox 360 controller to operate its high-energy laser gun built to blast mortar projectiles and drones. About a decade ago, tech reporters started notifying Xbox controllers in pictures and videos of military combat shows. Even back then, the journalist pointed out that using technology that war-made millennials are happy with is a good way to cut training time.
Lockheed Martin reportedly got up with the idea of using Xbox controllers for Virginia-class sub periscopes at their “classified research lab” in Manassas, Virginia, where pilots work with engineers to find ways to use business hardware and software like Xbox Kinect and 360 controllers, touch tablets, and Google Earth in Navy submarines.
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