For the 5,000 sailors aboard the USS Eisenhower, long days and nights are the norm. Everything from flight operations to trash disposal must run smoothly on this floating city. See how it works in 360 degrees.
View more unprecedented VR scenes from the Eisenhower:
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In the middle of deployment training off the Atlantic Coast, the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower's 5,000 sailors prepared for a missile strike.
Dressed in flame-retardant hoods and gloves, they practiced battling fires, containing flooding and testing for chemical or biological agents.
"All hands man battle stations," commanders instructed over the ship's communications system as alarms blared. "Missiles inbound, brace for shot."
Hours later, the Eisenhower's executive officer signaled the end of the night exercise. Robert Aguilar wasn't happy.
"We are moving out of training and moving into combat," he told the ship. "This is no time for smoking and joking. We are getting ourselves ready for the war that we are headed into."
That was in April 2016. The Eisenhower and its accompanying carrier strike group, more than 7,000 sailors in total, deployed two months later to the eastern Mediterranean, where they joined the international fight to contain ISIS and served as a deterrent to threats from Russia, Iran, Syria and others in the volatile region.
Where to find "USS Eisenhower VR"
The USA TODAY NETWORK VR team and a reporter from the Pensacola News Journal visited the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to gather exclusive 360-degree video and photos during three days of round-the-clock air operations. An interactive VR experience for the HTC Vive allows the user to explore a virtual model of the Eisenhower and discover 360-degree photos and videos from above and below deck.
“Eisenhower VR” is the first time a major news organization has told a story combining 360-degree video and VR interactivity on such a large scale.
Interactive versions are available for the HTC Vive and for Google Daydream headsets. 360-degree video features are best-viewed on smartphones or VR via the Virtual Reality section of the USA TODAY app (iOS | Android), the USA TODAY YouTube and Facebook channels. Samsung Gear or Playstation VR users can find the videos in the Littlstar app.
