VICKSBURG, Miss. – The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Watercraft and Ship Simulation Facility located next to its Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory (CHL) in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Developed by ERDC-CHL, the Watercraft and Ship Simulator precisely simulates ports, harbors, inland waterways and other maritime environments and accurately portrays currents, wind and wave conditions, shallow water effects, bank forces, ship handling, ship-to-ship interaction, fender forces, anchor forces and tug assistance.

“ERDC’s Ship Simulator has, for decades, been an important resource for studying navigation channels, harbors and ports around the country to provide solutions for dredging depths, navigation alleys and port and harbor enhancements,” said ERDC Director Dr. Beth Fleming.

The technology can be applied in both civil and military maritime operations and played a crucial role in emergency response and recovery efforts of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse response in Baltimore, Maryland in 2024.

The new 7,500-squarefoot building will increase the laboratory’s current simulation capabilities to accommodate an expanding military mission.

“Over the past several years, the ship simulator has increasingly been called upon to solve ingress and egress challenges for our military,” said Fleming. “This new facility will continue to do that by allowing secure simulations of interconnecting watercraft to guide acquisitions and multi-domain operations through physics-based simulations in littoral and inland environments.”

ERDC-CHL has a long history of supporting the warfighter in coastal and riverine environments dating back to World War II, including planning for the D-Day invasion at Normandy.

“This is a tradition we are very proud of and one that continues today,” said CHL Director Dr. Ty Wamsley. “Now more than ever, we must ensure that we have clear superiority when conducting operations over the shore and in rivers.”

“The Watercraft and Ship Simulation Facility will be a world-class destination for innovation and collaboration, and we are proud to be taking this major step forward to better support our nation and the warfighter,” he said.

The new facility will house an adaptable simulator area that is fully modular and reconfigurable, allowing for tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of any research and development application or project. Like the current simulator, the ship-bridge mockups can work independently or linked together as events occur in real-time with realistic sights, sounds and conditions.

“This state-of-the-art facility will provide a collaborative space for ERDC, our partners and uniformed services to develop and test innovative capabilities that will enhance the lethality and safety of our warfighters,” said Dr. Keith Martin, a research physicist and watercraft and ship simulation lead at CHL. “The Watercraft and Ship Simulation building will be a game-changer for the Army and the ERDC. Ultimately, the capabilities this facility will help create will enhance Army and Joint Force operations, streamline procurement processes and drive mission success.