US Navy submarines are getting Xbox 360 controllers to control their periscopes
The US Navy is beginning to use Xbox 360 controllers to operate the periscopes on submarines, according to The Virginian-Pilot. The first submarine to get the new controller will be the USS Colorado, which goes into active duty in November. The Xbox controllers will later be added to other Virginia-class submarines.
Virginia-class submarines are getting the Xbox controller added to their integrated imaging systems, which will replace a complex-looking, helicopter-style control stick. These submarines are less expensive and more modern versions of the Seawolf-class submarines, which were commissioned in the late 1990s.
The innovation comes as the Navy’s response to feedback given by junior officers and sailors who said that the controls…
