The ParaDrop Virtual Reality Simulator
VBS3 is known to feign simulations of a variety of facets of the contemporary battlespace to allow trainees and military personnel to practice strategic procedures and tactics whilst simultaneously augmenting decision-making and communication skills. Quite recently, a premier soldier center decided to expand its horizons and provide you with an unparalleled experience of jumping out of a military airplane!
Yes, you read that right. The all-new combat ‘ParaDrop VR Simulator’ outside Fort Benning at the National Infantry Museum presents you with one of the most thrilling simulations of all time, where you hang from a parachute, let yourself lose, and hang in the middle of the air!
Soldiers stationed on Fort Benning explained how the experience was indeed ‘realistic’, and the virtual reality experience serves as a wonderful head-start to anyone who is looking forward to being a part of the Airborne in the future.
This latest invention of the National Infantry Museum comprises a seat attached to a machine that provides an up-and-down motion by the wall-side to mimic the practice of escalating and tumbling through the air. The rider is required to put on a pair of VR goggles depicting virtual sceneries and aims to fall in a targeted approach through the rings and score points. The realistic, convincing, and life-like experience is felt as the wind blows on the rider. The views of the rider can be witnessed by a spectator in front of the simulator.
The collaboration of VBS3, PARASIM, and TerraTools provides an unimaginable edge to the US military forces to clout and influence the resourcefulness and changeability of virtual training phenomena. The best part about the recently launched simulator is it is the only one of its kind in the country. According to the simulation manager, another version has been built of an identical simulation in South Dakota but is much smaller in size. It is a proud moment for the entire town of Columbus to have its first full-size version of the ParaDrop VR Simulator launched on 30 August 2022. From families and friends of soldiers and military personnel to the locals, entry is open to allow. Anyone and everyone are absolutely welcome to try out the multi-sensory flying experience and soar to new heights.
The ParaDrop VR simulator allows the rider to choose one of the six simulated scenery options, each having three levels of difficulty. From the particularly exclusive Custom Military Museum to Bangkok, the Spring Mountains, and the Desert plain, there is a lot of variety that the VR simulator has to offer its riders in its newly launched attraction.
A rider for the ParaDrop VR simulator is required to weigh no more than 330 pounds and must have a height between 3 feet and 6 inches to 6 feet and 3 inches. At present, the Western Hemisphere contains only two simulators of a similar kind.
The idea behind the creation of a digital actuality simulator of this kind is to provide a close-to-reality experience to the family members of these soldiers as they provided the opportunity to visualize a day in the life of military personnel. The simulations tend to uphold and ensure the age-old heritage that Fort Benning is famous for: being the innovative origin of the parachute infantry for the US army. Thus, the structure of the virtual reality training is to designate and specify the modernization and novelty that Fort Benning is so eminent for.
Once you put up the VR goggles, there is no looking back for you since you are all set for the mock bounce out of a C130 aircraft. The rider experiences an adrenaline rush as turns right and left, rises and falls, with expeditious speed. It goes without doubt that there is a certain degree of difficulty in the beginning as the rider tries to get used to jumping out of an aircraft.
According to one of the riders at the opening ceremony of the recreation, there is a strong perception created of what it is like to perform actual jumps when being in the shoes of a military paratrooper.
The price for a two-minute-long motion ride is $10 per person.
The crisp visual fidelities delivered through such cost-effective, safe, and thrilling platforms, military training has become more convenient than ever. Military trainees may step right into a challenging drop-zone through the simulation and opt for discrete parts of the terrain such as tree-covered areas, tall buildings, and dense grass to provide visual cues which are direly in demand for causing an innocuous, precise, and clear-cut landing.
All in all, the virtual reality simulation experience provided by the ParaDrop VR Simulator allows you to get in the boots of a soldier and gain a hands-on familiarity and skill of participating in a Non-Combative Evacuation Operation (NEO) mission. With the VR experience, you can now fly as an infantry soldier and gain an idea of the jobs being done by our service members each day. This is also one of the ways through which you get to understand why they are truly worthy of our gratitude and respect.
-
160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment - The Night Stalkers
Read MoreThey were born out of a doomed operation, but their role has become irreplaceable. Their brothers in arms count on them in the most difficult of times while they remain the enemy’s worst nightmare. Battle-proven, always resilient, and lethal, they are highly respected among all the services and have often...
-
Operation Hump: 173rd’s Legendary Operation in Vietnam
Read MoreSoldiers take cover in a crater during the Vietnam War (Courtesy Photo/U.S. Army) Operation Hump is a legendary operation conducted jointly by Australian and American Airborne forces in Vietnam. The Friendly composition consisted of the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, as well as a battalion from...
-
The Elusive Blue Air Assault Beret
Read MoreBlue Air Assault Berets: A Brief Chapter in Military History In the accounts of military tradition, berets have often stood out as symbols of honor and excellence, providing soldiers with an extra element of pride. They adorn soldiers' heads, signifying their commitment to a unique calling. While everyone in the...
-
Wisdom from the Community: Top Five Pieces of Advice for New Paratroopers
Read MoreWisdom from the Community: Top Five Pieces of Advice for New Paratroopers Hear ye, hear ye! Young paratroopers, we believe you deserve some valuable advice because you are at a stage where you need it to shape your military career. Because we care, we reached out to our community to...
-
Operation Restore Democracy: The Landing that Never Happened
Read MoreOperation Restore Democracy: The Landing that Never Happened In the early 1990s, Haiti's democracy was in constant crisis, and the island was being governed by unconstitutional leadership. The regimes kept changing but lacked national and international legitimacy, leading to U.N. sanctions. The United States created a multinational force (MNF) to...
-
The Evolution of Airborne Operations: From World War II to Present Day
Read MoreThey called it "The Iron Rain." On the fateful day of June 6, 1944, as part of Operation Overlord, more than 13,000 paratroopers from the American 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions leaped into the night sky, their hearts racing, their minds set on one goal: the liberation of Europe from...
-
Boots On Ground: The 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq
Read MoreTransporting you from your favorite reading nook literally into the boots of the 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq, Boots on the Ground by Karl Zinsmeister details the story of the frontline in a way that often isn't covered in the headline news story. A frontline reporter traveling with the 82nd,...
-
The Essentials: The C-17 Globemaster
Read More"The Essentials" Series is a monthly blog related to Airborne culture. We target fundamental topics such as Airborne equipment, culture, traditions, trivia, etc. While we have a semi-annual plan on the topics, we remain open to ideas from paratroopers like yourself. So, feel free to reach out and propose a...
-
The Filthy Thirteen: The True Story of the Dirty Dozen
Read MoreTightly bound to one another in times of war, unforgiving in the way they approach a battle, and legendary in their bravery, the story is told of the US paratroopers of the US 101st Airborne Division in The Filthy Thirteen. Finding the courage to parachute behind enemy lines in the...
-
Battle of Yongju: The Battle of the Apple Orchard
Read MoreAlso known as the Battle of the Apple Orchard, the UN orchestrated the Battle of Yongju to fight back against the North Korean forces during the Korean war. In this offensive maneuver, the US 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team—or the US 187 RCT was called on to move in front...
-
The Chosen Few: US Paratrooper's Battle in Eastern Afghanistan
Read MoreBringing you to a more recent battle in a different part of the world, The Chosen Few by Gregg Zoroya is a detailed account of how a U.S. Paratroopers company fought in eastern Afghanistan in 2007. In hopes to go in on a single, swift mission in order to befriend the isolated...
-
No Better Place To Day: The Battle For La Fiere Bridge
Read MoreIn this first-person narrative, Robert M. Murphy transports you right into the battle at La Fiere in the early morning hours of D-Day. Taking you through a firsthand account of close-quarters combat in the industrial war of the 20th century, Murphy covers all sides of the war, from the paratroopers...
-
Airborne Equipment: The Waco CG-4A Glider
Read MoreDuring World War II, the U.S. Army Air Forces utilized military gliders as a method of delivery to battle. These one-time use, engineless aircraft were towed in pairs near to the front lines of battle, typically by a Douglas C-47 military transport aircraft, carrying troops or supplies to bolster advancing...
-
Over 100 years of bravey: The 173rd Airborne Brigade
Read MoreThe 173rd Airborne Brigade is a United States Army airborne infantry brigade formed on 12 June 1917 at Camp Devens, Massachusetts. It is one of the oldest airborne units in the United States Army and has a rich history of service and combat operations. A WORLD AT WAR During World...
-
War: Through the eyes of the 173rd Airborne in Afghanistan
Read More"Brotherhood has nothing to do with feelings; it has to do with how you define your relationship to others. It has to do with the rather profound decision to put the welfare of the group above your personal welfare. In such a system, feelings are meaningless. In such a system,...
-
Into The Viper's Nest: The First Pivotal Battle Of The Afghan War
Read More"I set out then to report this story from many points of view - American and British, from soldier to general, from diplomat to president. It seemed to me that only by getting behind the scenes could anyone pretend to understand what was happening. And it seemed far better to...
-
You can Jump from a plane. How about jumping into a book?
Read MoreAs paratroopers, we know you've got discipline and are always on the lookout for that new book title that will leave a lasting impression. The global library has never been more diverse, yet you want something you can relate to. The good news is that we've reached out to our...
