VML and America’s Navy Showcase the Breadth and Depth of Navy STEM Careers

In early November, America’s Navy unveiled the Strike Group, a cutting-edge, multi-scenario, mobile mixed-reality experience that represents the latest innovation in the realm of U.S. military recruiting.

Developed by VML, the Navy’s marketing and advertising contractor, the Strike Group experience was designed to showcase the breadth and depth of Navy STEM careers, from nuclear engineering and aviation to special warfare and medicine — a range of opportunities that no other military or private sector path can match. And through the use of leading-edge VR, the Strike Group provides users with a fully immersive, hands-on look into the technology and teamwork that are central to every role in the Navy.

“From the depths of the sea to the heights of the stars, America’s Navy is the most highly skilled, technologically advanced military force in the world,” said Rear Admiral James P. Waters, commander, Navy Recruiting Command. “A career in the Navy provides a life-changing experience filled with adventure, teamwork, and support, and the Strike Group brings all of these aspects to life in the most realistic ways possible.”

“Because Strike Group is modular, it can be presented as a nine-cube experience, or it can be broken into smaller groups, allowing Navy recruiters to annually activate at three-times more events than it currently does,” said Heidi LaRochelle, VML group connections director, experiential. “And the Strike Group can accommodate 450,000 participants a year, which is nine-times more than the Navy’s previous experiential activation.” 

Strike Group comprises seven distinctive, interactive challenges and experiences: 

· All Hands

Players will test their skills on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier in a five-person virtual reality game. Participants will don a Meta Quest 3 headset and be transported out to the USS Gerald R. Ford where they will team up to launch an F-35C Lightning II jet. Working together in different roles – from loading fuel to flying helicopters to piloting the aircraft itself – each player will be immersed in the experience of what it is like to serve aboard an aircraft carrier and have their efforts influence a Navy mission. 

· Support

The Navy conducts humanitarian missions around the globe through a variety of ship platforms and communities. Participants will navigate an interactive map of the world with a range of Navy ships and vehicles to explore the breadth and depth of these operations at strategic, geographic locations. Each vehicle will trigger an educational experience, not only about the mission, but also about the potential careers to help provide aid to communities worldwide. 

· Fly

Players will experience Naval aviation like never before. This full motion flight simulator will drop participants into the cockpit of an F-35C Lightning II, where they’ll launch from an aircraft carrier with their wingman on a training mission. With some up-front tutorials, users will learn to manoeuvre the aircraft prior to engaging in a mission to drop munitions on a practice target, and then land safely back on the carrier. 

· Dive

Navy Underwater Construction Teams always are on call if an undersea repair is needed. In this interactive, virtual mission, participants will take on the role of a Navy diver, driving a boat to a location after a storm, then use their dive and welding skills to help repair a damaged pier. 

· Achieve

America’s Navy has hundreds of roles available in every field – from nuclear engineering to aviation to special operations. To help participants see themselves in one of these careers, they can take a personality quiz that will pair them with a list of jobs best suited for them. The best part? Participants also will receive an AI-generated image of themselves in their recommended role. 

· Seek

Few people ever get to experience life inside a Navy submarine. To showcase the “Silent Service,” participants will undergo a real-life submarine mission – an Ice Exercise (ICEX) near the North Pole. Players will work together and use their skills in nuclear propulsion, sonar, and navigation to successfully break through the thick sea ice during the Arctic Ocean operation. 

· Train

Navy SEALs have a legacy of strenuous training and intense qualifications. In this experience, a Navy SEAL trainer will guide participants through a series of challenges that will test their physical strength, mental fortitude, and willpower.

Why It Is Called the Strike Group

The new Strike Group interactive experience is named after the Navy’s forward deployment formation known as a Carrier Strike Group. Comprised of roughly 7,500 personnel, 1 aircraft carrier with an air wing of 65 to 70 aircraft, two Guided Missile Cruisers, two Anti-Aircraft Warships, and 1-2 Anti-Submarine Destroyers. Carrier Strike Groups epitomise the leading-edge technology and teamwork that are synonymous with Navy life. The Navy currently maintains 11 Carrier Strike Groups, 10 of which are based in the United States and one that is forward deployed in Japan.