Navy Warfare Development Command

The Navy Warfare Development Command (NWDC) is a key source for innovative solutions that enhance maritime capabilities. 

Established in 1998, the NWDC recently relocated to a new headquarters at Norfolk Naval Station. The NWDC’s primary customer is first and foremost the Fleet to facilitate warfare development. 

The NWDC enlisted IDEAS to develop a state-of-the-art illustration experience to help VIPs and other visitors fully understand its capabilities.

A significant attribute of the new headquarters is the 10,000-square-foot modeling and simulation center. It supports the Navy Continuous Training Environment, experimentation and concepts of operations development. 

The only one of its kind in the U.S. Navy, it holds the distinguished title of the Navy Center for Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NCAMS). 

NWDC Lauds the Facility

“This facility will enhance our ability to collaborate with the warfighter and more rapidly respond to meeting the needs of the Fleet,” said Rear Admiral Wendi Carpenter, Commander NWDC. 

“It is going to allow us to gain efficiencies, and greater effectiveness in ways we cannot fully imagine now; but with the continued revolution in computers and information it adds an enhanced dimension to the art of capturing what is on the horizon. 

“It is a centerpiece of validation for concepts and doctrine through wargaming and experimentation, particularly due to the ability to connect worldwide to other nodes located in fleet concentration areas or with coalition nations.”

IDEAS Takes Off

To fully illustrate NCAMS’ potential to the Fleet, the NWDC was excited about the possibilities we presented to accomplish this goal. 

Its team’s instructions for us were comprehensive:

• Determining the center’s floor plan layout
• Developing the aesthetic and thematic design elements for the facility’s interior
• Producing all the digital media assets for display across more than 30 large monitors and projection screens

We started the project with a conceptual phase to determine the facility’s story and design an engaging visitor experience within parameters:

• A 24/7 operational environment
• An extremely secure location
• The integration of many complex technologies

Upon the NWDC’s review and approval, we then began taking major steps:

• Producing the design specifications for fabricating custom furniture and scenic elements
• Determining the audiovisual and show control system requirements
• Starting preproduction for digital media assets 

This process included scripting and producing an automated 20-minute tour showcasing the NWDC’s capabilities. 

We also highlighted the new facility’s importance in supporting Fleet, Joint and Coalition forces using high-fidelity simulation for synthetic event training exercises and new tactic and equipment experimentation.

Bringing Reality to Virtual Reality

The challenge was how to connect the very real “live fire” experiences of frontline fighters as they engage in synthetic training events. 

The NWDC supports these events over the world’s most reliable, continually operating simulation network, hosted and maintained at this new facility. 

Using a blend of live, virtual and constructive simulation, the NWDC and its Fleet training partners can “light up” the C4I and operational gear aboard Navy, Joint and Coalition ships, aircraft and command centers. 

We used the power of story to bring the reality of the simulation’s far end into the facility’s high-tech environment. 

The result is an impressive operational “mission control” for the U.S. Navy. 

It tells the story of how the NWDC develops the game-changing innovations of tomorrow’s Navy today. Concurrently, it illustrates the importance of how this training saves lives, money, time and resources in supporting global Fleet operations.

IDEAS provided the Navy with a turnkey operation, from concept development through on-site installation and show programming for the new modeling and simulation center. 

This initiative also included developing naming constructs and creating a visual identity for what would become NCAMS.