Three screens and a helm occupy the corner of an office on the main deck of USS San Jacinto (CG 56). But to the crew and officers assigned to this Ticonderoga-class cruiser, it may as well be the bridge of a storm-tossed ship at sea.

What it actually is may help save lives and enhance the crew's ability to fight the ship.

It's a portable onboard ship simulator, similar to the Navy's state-of-the-art shore-based navigation, seamanship and ship handling trainers (NSST).

An instructor, often the ship's commanding officer, executive officer, senior watch officer or navigator, can observe and offer guidance while a trainee maneuvers through heavy traffic or goes through the procedures for a man overboard situation. Pressing a button on the control console turns glassy seas into a tempest, or drops a supertanker on a collision course.

"We can throw them into dangerous scenarios and teach corrective actions. We can re-run a situation or pause to discuss the different courses of actions available," said Lt. j.g. Joshua Mulanax, the ship's navigator. "Seamanship and ship handling are perishable skills. With a simulator on board you can get more of the repetition it takes to understand causes and effects at sea."

The Norfolk-based guided-missile cruiser currently keeps two sessions a week open for bridge watch standers to work with the navigator. Ensign Joseph Torchia, who arrived on the ship in June, said the simulator is a unique opportunity.

"Compared to NSST at [Naval Station Norfolk], the shipboard trainer has the advantage of being a few steps away," says Torchia. "It also provides a chance to get on-the-spot feedback from the chain of command before going through the actual evolution on the bridge."

The simulator was repaired last year after years of disuse when the Commanding Officer, Capt. Dennis Velez, challenged his officers to get the simulator working and put time into practicing with it. Since the ship is currently in the shipyard undergoing scheduled maintenance, the simulator helps keep ship handling skills sharp and current.

"Having this equipment means that even if the ship is in the yards, leadership gets a chance to see the every member of the Wardroom run an evolution at least once a month. It's a very efficient way to sustain ship handling skills," said Lt. j.g. Matt Karamanlis, the ship's training and readiness officer.

San Jacinto is attached to Commander Carrier Strike Group 10 as part of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group and is currently in the maintenance phase of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan (OFRP).

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