Navy Deploys Xbox-Style Controllers to Operate Ship-Based Anti-Drone Lasers
The U.S. Navy has adopted Xbox-style controllers for targeting and firing its anti-drone laser systems aboard vessels, leveraging the input precision and ergonomic design that made the gaming peripheral successful.
Microsoft's Xbox controller has proven its worth beyond gaming. The U.S. Navy has begun equipping its anti-drone laser systems with Xbox-style controllers, according to reporting from Interesting Engineering. The choice reflects the controller's ability to deliver both targeting accuracy and rapid response times needed for weapons operation. The familiar button layout and grip design also give sailors a shorter learning curve during training, since many already know how to handle the device from consumer electronics.
Details about the Navy's implementation remain sparse. It is unclear whether operators use wired or wireless versions, or whether the Navy deployed commercial off-the-shelf controllers or contracted a custom variant. The use of gaming peripherals in military systems is not unprecedented. The Titan submersible, which imploded during a deep-sea expedition, relied on a Logitech F710 game controller as its primary control interface, though design and construction flaws in the vessel itself are considered the primary cause of the disaster.