PROCUREMENT: Xbox Marks the Spot.

Remember all those gritty WWII submarine movies where the skipper brings the boat up to periscope depth, drapes his arms around the handles of the scope, and scans the surface for targets? Well, that was then. According to the Virginian Pilot newspaper – the Navy is replacing the helicopter-like stick that has been used to adjust the periscopes on more modern subs – with Xbox 360 controllers. Nowadays, there is no long tube that only one sailor can look through at a time – but rather video screens, so it is somehow appropriate going forward the display will be controlled by the same device that is used for video games ashore. In addition to being more user friendly than the joystick that had been in play in recent years, you also can’t beat the price. The joysticks costs about $38,000…but the Navy can get Xbox controllers for less than $30 a pop.

You have to wonder if the Navy endured a Playstation vs Xbox flame war as part of the purchase decision.