U.S. Navy to showcase new mixed-reality experience at Columbus Air Show

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Air Show returns this weekend and the U.S. Navy is showcasing its new mixed-reality experience for visitors.

The air show runs from Aug. 22 to Aug. 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Rickenbacker International Airport.

This year features “Strike Group,” a multi-scenario, mobile mixed-reality experience designed to show the inner workings of Navy STEM careers. Organizers said the experience is fully immersive and will showcase how technology and teamwork are critical 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 of Navy recruiting command, in a news release. “A career in the Navy provides a life-changing experience filled with adventure, teamwork and support, and the ‘Strike Group’ brings all these aspects to life in the most realistic ways possible.”  

There are three interactive challenges and experiences, including “All Hands,” “Train,” and “Seek.”

In “All Hands,” players will test their skills on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier in a five-person game. They will team up to launch an F-35C Lightning II jet from the USS Gerald R. Ford. They will have to load fuel, fly helicopters and pilot the aircraft itself. 

Meanwhile, in “Train,” participants will be guided by a Navy SEAL trainer through a series of challenges testing physical strength, mental fortitude and willpower. 

Finally, “Seek” will give visitors a chance to undergo a real-life submarine mission, an Ice Exercise (ICEX) near the North Pole. Players will have to work together and use their skills to navigate nuclear propulsion, sonar and navigation to break through thick sea ice.