Midshipmen inside the Academy’s simulators can combine what they learn aboard YPs and classroom training. It provides just one more way to sharpen the Midshipmen’s skills and get them ready for the Fleet. UNSA photo by Ken Mierzejewski.

But although the ship appears to be moving and the scenery appears to be changing, the ship isn’t really a ship. The hum of the engines, the sound of seagulls, even the weather conditions all represent a scenario being played out in one of the Naval Academy’s 10 simulators.

''Everything a ship can do, the simulators can do exactly the same,'' said Operations Specialist 1st Class (SW) Jason Rebholz, leading petty officer of the seamanship and navigation department.

Of the Academy’s 10 simulators, two are full mission bridge simulators with over a 200 degree view provided by seven projectors and image generators.

Two are standalone mockups with helm and lee helm control. The Academy also has six desktop simulators. Each simulator can be operated independently, and most can also be integrated for enhanced underway training, The Academy and the simulators’ manufacturer are exploring the possibility of linking all 10 simulators together for integrated training.

While the schedule varies from day to day, during the academic year the Naval Academy’s two full mission bridge simulators are busy almost every period on weekdays to ensure that each Midshipman receives a minimum of 11 hours of simulator time during their four years at the Academy. Many Midshipmen receive more hours in the simulators as they prepare for their summer cruises by becoming familiar with ports and receiving shiphandling training. Still others train on the simulators on Saturday mornings.

''It’s an exceptional tool that the Academy has,'' said Lt. Robert McNamara, simulators officer. ''It broadens the scope of the curriculum and is a great resource that can be used along with the YPs (Yard Patrol craft) to provide them with more practical applications.''

There is no room for error on the water, while the simulator provides a safe environment for making mistakes. If a Midshipman runs aground or is involved in a collision on the simulator, the instructor can stop the scenario, rewind a tape, and go through the steps that led up to the mishap, and explain what could have been done differently. Instructors usually focus on real-life situations Midshipmen will encounter in the fleet. ''Entering and exiting ports are the most common,'' Rebholz said, ''but we also do independent steaming, underway replenishment and nighttime steaming.''

''It’s highly unlikely that they’re going to encounter 20-meter waves,''

McNamara said, ''so we focus on the more practical and important stuff . the common navigation.''

Other scenarios include formation steaming, division tactics, and how to maneuver and issue standard commands. The full mission bridge can simulate more than 20 classes of ships, including frigates, aircraft carriers, destroyers, amphibious ships, rescue and salvage ships, and more. The port familiarization inventory includes nearly 20 choices ranging from ports in the United States to places like Sasebo, Japan, the English Channel and Singapore Straits. As graduation approaches and Midshipmen find out about their ship assignments and homeports, they use the simulator to familiarize themselves with their ships and their ports.

''You name a port and we can be there,'' Rebholz said, ''and every port is different. Pearl Harbor is different from San Diego, which is different from Norfolk. Each has different characteristics, and we want to give them a taste of a few.''

In the control room, instructors can change the ships, the weather and the scenarios. They can change the sea state to the point where the simulator will actually roll. Instructors can change the direction and speed of the wind and the current, and they can change the time of day and the weather to include fog and rain squalls.

Whether six Midshipmen are standing watch in a full mission bridge simulator or one Midshipman is learning standard commands in a standalone simulator, instructors focus on realism.

''It’s an outstanding system with pretty amazing capabilities,'' McNamara said.

Combined with the Midshipmen’s YP and classroom training, it provides just one more way to sharpen the Midshipmen’s skills and get them ready for the fleet.