U.S. Navy to Unveil Advanced Mixed-Reality ‘Strike Group’ at Washington State Spring Fair
A mixed-reality installation called “Strike Group” is the latest idea from the US Navy. It will be shown at the Washington State Spring Fair in Puyallup, Washington, on Saturday and Sunday, April 12–13. It is the goal of this new mobile, multi-scenario experience to give the public a full and engaging look at the Navy’s STEM-related job possibilities, focussing on how technologically advanced and team-based the military is.
Part of the Navy’s continued efforts to recruit and reach out to the public is the “Strike Group” event, which shows off the many science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) jobs that are open across all of its branches. The installation uses cutting-edge virtual and augmented reality technologies to create immersive situations that are based on real Navy activities. This lets people try out different job paths by doing them themselves.
As a way to mimic life on military ships and in operational settings, the “Strike Group” has three separate interactive sections. Using high-end virtual reality equipment and AI to create a truly lifelike view of modern naval service, each scenario lets users put themselves in the shoes of Navy troops.
All Hands, the first of the three experiences, immerses participants in a mixed-reality setting that simulates an aircraft carrier’s flight deck and has five people. One can virtually go to the USS Gerald R. Ford by donning Meta Quest 3 headsets. There, they have to work together to successfully launch an F-35C Lightning II fighter jet. From refuelling to aviation piloting, each participant takes on a distinct role inside the operation, illustrating the degree of precision and coordination needed in real Navy missions. Players’ choices and actions during the simulation have a direct impact on how the mission turns out, providing a realistic depiction of the interdependence that drives naval operations.
Users can experience what it is like to be a member of the Navy Underwater Construction Team in the second simulation, Dive. Participants virtually sail a boat to the damaged pier and perform diving tasks after a scenario in which a storm has wrecked a pier. Once underwater, they must use underwater welding techniques to do necessary repairs. In real-world Navy missions, when timing and technical proficiency are frequently mission-critical, this scenario highlights the crucial engineering and tactical duties performed by divers.
Achieve, the third part of the installation, is not an action-based simulation but rather a way to look into different job options. After visitors finish a short personality-based test, the Navy pairs them with appropriate career paths within its wide range of roles, such as intelligence work, special operations, nuclear engineering, and aviation. The system then makes an AI-rendered picture of the person in full uniform that shows what role they should play. This part not only makes the experience more personal, but it also helps people imagine themselves as service members in the future.
The experience’s name, “Strike Group,” comes from the Navy’s Carrier Strike Group formation, which is a forward-deployed military force of about 7,500 people. Standard equipment for such formations includes an aircraft carrier with a 65–70-plane air wing, two guided missile cruisers, one or two anti–submarine destroyers, and other weaponry for shooting down aircraft. Carrier Strike Groups are the most advanced, mobile, and ready-for-combat groups in the Navy. They are the pinnacle of naval innovation, coordination, and capability.
The Navy wants to show how important teamwork, new ideas, and high-quality technology are in modern maritime defence by naming the exhibit after these top-level operational groups. With 11 active Carrier Strike Groups in the United States right now, the experience is meant to show the size and complexity of military operations and encourage young people to look into careers in those fields.
The U.S. Navy’s show at the Washington State Spring Fair is part of a larger effort to get people involved in STEM-related activities by putting on dynamic, engaging events. It is a strategic plan to not only get more people to join the Navy, but also to make more people aware of all the different roles that sailors play in today’s highly advanced military.
