Royal Navy recruits hit the 'laser range' after coronavirus delays training

The men and women have been tackling the warfare simulator at HMS Excellent in a bonus round of training as they seek to become fully-qualified sailors.

Known as the Dismounted Close Combat Trainer (DCCT), the military tech gives a taster of what will be needed to qualify to bear arms on deployment and be effective in a variety of scenarios when they complete the full course later in their training.

HMS Excellent and Portsmouth Naval Base have been hosting groups of sailors waiting for their next stage of training while some courses were delayed due to the coronavirus epidemic.

Dubbed ‘phase 1.5’, these trainees have undergone a two-week package, which also includes ceremonial drill and adventure training, having completed the first phase of training at HMS Raleigh.

The team on the digital range ran through a variety of tasks, from basic target practice to challenging mock scenarios.

Normally young sailors would visit a facility like this just prior to going to their first unit for their four-week military rifle competency course, allowing them to carry out duties such as gangway watch or a hostile vessel boarding.

Able Seaman Jack Marshall is training to be a mine warfare specialist. He said: ‘I really enjoyed the DCCT as it builds on the knowledge we learnt at Raleigh.

‘Today’s session gave us an insight into reasoning, and it made us think what we would do in a real situation.’

The rifle uses a gas-powered recoil system to simulate the sort of force experienced when firing live rounds.

AB Rebecca Saunders, who is training to be a Writer Submariner, said the experience was fantastic.

‘I loved going on the simulator, it’s better than the one at Raleigh as it gives you more of an insight to what real world scenarios would look like, and it’s comparable to shooting on a real range as the gun recoils.’

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