The Virtual Navy

Commander Naval Education and Training

FIRE CONTROL TECHNICIAN "A" SCHOOL

Fire Control Technicians maintain the electronic equipment used in submarine weapons systems. They are responsible for the operation and maintenance of the complex electronic, electrical and mechanical equipment required to ensure the accuracy of Navy guided-missile systems and underwater weapons. They are responsible for ship safety by recognizing and analyzing data from several critical systems including sonar, radar, pericsope, radio, and torpedo inputs. Fire Control Technicians are also responsible for the submarine's internal LAN system.

Fire Control Technicians perform organizational and intermediate level maintenance on submarine combat control systems, equipment, and associated combat control systems test equipment; operate submarine combat control systems; test submarine combat control systems; operate and maintain combat control systems associated systems; and participate in weapons handling functions and operate and maintain non-tactical computer systems and peripherals.

The following information is needed for the test:

  1. FIRE CONTROL SUITE 

From the stations of the Fire Control Suite  weapons are selected, contacts are targeted, weapons are launched and countermeasures are deployed.

Seawolf has four stations in its Fire Control Suite: The Target Display, Launch Panel, Countermeasure Launch Panel and the Weapons Inventory. These are reached by clicking one of the navigation buttons at the bottom left of each of the Seawolf’s Fire Control Stations.

 TARGET DISPLAY Seawolf’s Target Display consists of the Fire Control map, the Tube Selection Panel and the Target Designation and Preset Panel. From the Target Display the weapon in a specific tube is targeted at a specific contact and weapon presets appropriate for the target are entered.

Fire Control Map All sensor contact symbols seen on the Nav Map are also seen on the Fire Control map. If you have Show Link Data on, Link participant symbols and Link contacts symbols also appear. The TMA or Link solution data for a selected contact appears in the upper left corner of the map in the Fire Control DDI area. This solution data is constantly updated assuming the course and speed designated when the solution was entered in TMA or provided by the Link. This information is used by the Fire Control System to predict the location of the target so the weapon can steer an intercept course until it is close enough to detect the target and begin homing. You are allowed to target Link contacts as well as Link participants from the Fire Control Station, however the latter is not recommended. Link contacts are only available if you have first downloaded Link data. Link contact positions are not updated once you lose radio contact.

Note: If Show Truth is ON, no Contact IDs appear in the Target Selection List. Only Snapshots (bearing only) can be assigned to a weapon.

 Tube Selection Panel The lower left of the Target Display contains the Tube Selection Panel. A number represents each of the Seawolf’s eight torpedo tubes. Following each number are two small display windows. The lower window, the Weapon Window, displays the name of the weapon loaded in the tube. The upper window, the Target Window, displays the Contact ID or target assigned to the weapon. Dashes indicate that no target is assigned to the weapon in that tube. 

 Click a tube number to select it.

Note: TLAMS and SLMMs are not assigned Contact IDs. Waypoints are placed on the map for the weapon to follow. WYPT appears in the Target Window when waypoints have been assigned to TLAMS or SLMMs. A UUV is a sensor and cannot be assigned a target.

Target Designation and Presets Panel The right side of the Target Display contains Target Designation and Presets Panel. The panel is divided into functional areas. The upper portion of the panel contains the Map View Controls Target Designation area. The following options are available. Center OS: When this option is selected the map symbol for Ownship is always centered in the Fire Control map when the map is zoomed in.

Weapon Waypoints: When ON, all waypoints assigned to any land attack missile or mine display on the map. When this option is OFF only the waypoints for the weapon in the selected tube show on the map.

Designate Target: This drop-down list contains all of the Track IDs currently marked by Ownship and Link participant and Link contact Track IDs if Show Link is ON. A Track ID selected in this list is available for assignment to a specific tube as described below with the following caveats. Contact with a

LOB: Contact IDs for contacts with a line of bearing (no TMA solution) cannot be assigned to a tube. They can be targeted with a snapshot. See Seawolf Stations/Fire Control Station/Seawolf Target Display/Firing A Snapshot. Create a TMA solution for the contact to make it available for tube assignment.

Unknown Category Contacts: Track IDs for contacts that have a TMA solution but have not yet been classified as either a surface or sub surface platform type cannot be assigned to a tube. A snapshot can be assigned. 

 Select the contact in the Nav Map and from its right-click menu designate it as surface or subsurface to make it assignable.

Note: No Contact IDs appear in the Designate Target list if Show Truth is on or if you have not yet marked any contacts with one of your sensors and no Link contacts have been downloaded.

 

 

Assign Target: Click this button to assign the contact selected in the Designate Target drop-down list to the tube selected in the Tube Selection Panel. The Contact ID appears in the Target Window for the selected tube.

Note: Certain weapons can only be used against specific types of contacts. For example, you are not able to assign a sub-only weapon to a target designated as a surface contact. Until a contact is assigned a category (surface or subsurface), it cannot be assigned to any tube. Assign a category from the Nav Map by right-clicking the selected contact’s symbol and selecting Designate Category/ID>Platform Category.

The lower portion of the panel displays the presets for the weapon in the selected tube. Presets vary depending on the weapon.

Assigning a Target to a Tube

1. Click the desired contact symbol on the Fire Control map or select the contact ID from the Designate Target drop-down list.

2. Click the number of a tube containing a weapon appropriate for the target. (If the weapon you need is not loaded in a tube, go to the Launch Panel and load the desire weapon.

3. Click Assign Target. The Contact ID appears in the Target Window of the selected tube in the Tube Selection Panel.

     

    4. Presets for the weapon in the selected tube appear in the lower portion of the Target Designation and Preset panel. Click or right-click on digits as needed to adjust the settings. For information on preset settings see Seawolf Stations/Seawolf Fire Control Suite/Seawolf Presets.

       

       

      Firing A Snapshot

         

     

     

 

 

When a contact does not yet have a TMA solution or has not yet been categorized as surface or subsurface, it can only be targeted with a snapshot. A snapshot is simply a weapon fired down the line of bearing to the contact. Since you have no range information you fire and hope that the weapon will home on the contact.

     

    1. In the Tube Selection Panel click the number of the tube containing the desired weapon.

       

       

      2. From the Designate Target Dropdown list, select SNAPSHOT

         

         

        3. Click Assign Target. The Snapshot (Deg) preset appears above the other weapon presets.

           

           

          4. Click or right-click the digits in the SNAPSHOT preset to enter the bearing to the contact. (Select the contact symbol on the Fire Control map to read the current bearing to the contact in the map DDI.)

             

             

            Assigning Waypoints to a TLAM or SLMM

                

              1. Select a tube containing a TLAM or SLMM.  

              2. Click Define Target Waypoints in the preset area.   

              3. Click the Fire Control map to place the waypoints.  

              4. Click and drag a waypoint as needed to adjust its location and enter a destruct range for the weapon.

                 

                 

                Assigning a UUV Sensor a tube

                   

               

               

               

               

               

               

               

               

               

               

           

           

         

         

       

       

     

     

Because the UUV is a sensor it is not assigned a target  

1. Select a tube containing a UUV.  

2. If a depth other than Ownship depth is desired, deselect Use OS Depth in the Preset Panel and enter the exact depth you want in the Depth preset that appears..  

3. Launch the UUV from the Launch Panel

     

Once targets and presets are assigned, click the Launch Panel icon and fire the weapon from the Launch Panel.

     

    Torpedo Wire Guide Controls

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once a torpedo is fired, its symbol appears on the Fire Control map. When the weapon enables, two red lines extend from the torpedo symbol

indicating the weapons search cone. Until a torpedo enables, it can be wire-guided.

     

     Click the torpedo’s symbol on the Fire Control map.

    The following Wire Guide Controls appear in the Preset area.

    Heading: Click the right facing arrow to increment the weapon’s ordered heading. Click the left facing arrow to decrease the ordered heading.

    Enable: Click to enable the weapon before it reaches the enable distance set in the Run To Enable preset and start the weapon in search mode

    Pre-Enable: Click to return an enabled weapon to its pre-enabled state without shutting the weapon down entirely. If you want to wire guide a weapon that has already enabled and started its search, click this option. The red enable cone disappears. Once the weapon detects a contact and begins homing, it can no longer be pre-enabled. It can only be shutdown.

    Shutdown: Click to shut down the weapon entirely. The weapon cannot be enabled again if this option is selected.

       Note A torpedo is searching as long as it is snaking or circling (as set in the presets). If the weapon heads on a straight path, it is homing.

       

         

         LAUNCH PANEL

           

         

         

       

       

     

     

     

     

 

 

The Launch Panel is composed of the Launcher Control Panel, the Tube and Weapon Selection Panel and the Presets Panel.

Launcher Control Panel

The Launcher Control Panel displays Launcher Controls for the two selected tubes. Above each Launcher Control is the Tube Status Bar containing the tube number, the name of the weapon loaded and the assigned target. The two tubes that display here are selected by clicking on a pair of tube numbers in the Tube and Weapon Selection Panel below.

     

    Tube and Weapon Selection Panel

       

Clicking on a tube number in the Tube and Weapon Selection Panel selects that tube number as well as the one above or below it and displays the Launcher Controls for the selected tubes in the Launch Panel. From the Tube and Weapon Selection Panel you can also change the weapon loaded in a specific tube. The name of the weapon currently loaded in the tube displays in green following each tube number.

     

    Presets Panel

       

Adjacent to each Launcher Panel is a Preset Panel containing the presets currently assigned to the weapon in the Launcher Control Panel. Presets entered from the Target Display are viewed here and can be adjusted if desired prior to weapon launch.

     

    Basic Launch Procedure

       

       

      1. In the Target Display, assign a contact to a tube and set presets as appropriate.

         

         

        2. In the Launch Panel, click the number of the desired tube in the Tube and Weapon Selection to select it. The tube’s Launcher Controls display in the Launch Panel. Adjust presets in the preset panel to the right of the Launcher Control if desired.  

           

           

           Note: Only rectangular buttons are selectable at various stages in the launch procedure. A green outline around a rectangular button indicates it can be selected at this stage of the launch sequence. Selected buttons flash until the indicated process is complete.

             

            3. Click FLOOD. This button initiates the process that floods and equalizes the tube. When the tube is flooded the FLOOD button text is green. Reselecting this button at this point reverses the process.

               

               

              4. Click MUZZLE DOOR to open the muzzle door. The button flashes until the door is open. The SYSTEM READY buttons turns green and the LAUNCH button is selectable.

                 

                 

                5. Click LAUNCH to fire the weapon To Wire Guide a torpedo return to the Target Display and select the torpedo symbol on the Fire Control map. 

               

               

             

             

           

           

         

         

       

       

Note: If the Launch button is not selectable make sure there is a target assigned to the tube. Also check the High-Pressure Air bank in Ship Control. A weapon launch requires a charge of at least 50% in your air banks. If you have fired numerous weapons or performed an emergency main ballast tank blow, your air bank may be depleted and must be recharged.

Reversing the Launch Process If the launch procedure has started but the weapon has not yet been launched, the launch procedure must be reversed before the weapon in the tube can be changed. At this stage the MUZZLE DOOR outline and text is green. The LAUNCH button is outlined in green.

1. Click MUZZLE DOOR to start the reverse the process. The button flashes until both button and outline are orange.

2. FLOOD now appears with both green text and outline. Click FLOOD to reverse this step and drain the tube.

3. Once the FLOOD text is orange the tube can be reloaded.

Note: When the weapon has been fired the reverse procedure happens automatically when you click MUZZLE DOOR. Be aware that closing the MUZZLE DOOR cuts the wire for any wire-guided weapon.

Reloading/ Changing the Weapon in a Tube The unload/load process takes 16 minutes. Loading an empty tube takes 8 minutes. If Fire Control Quick Launch option is selected in the Options>Game page, the Unload/load time is cut to 35 seconds and loading an empty tube is cut to 20 seconds.

1. In the Launch Panel’s Tube and Weapon Selection Panel, click the name of the weapon in the tube you want to reload. (If the tube has been fired, click Empty.) Repeated clicks cycle through all the weapons available for loading in this tube.

2. Stop clicking when you see the name of the weapon or UUV you want to load. If you click an empty tube and the weapon names do not cycle, the muzzle door for that tube is still open. Click MUZZLE DOOR of the empty tube. This closes the muzzle door and automatically drains the tube in preparation for reload. If the tube has not been fired, the reverse steps must be done manually.

Note: Closing the muzzle door cuts the wire on the torpedo or UUV launched from the tube. Wire guiding is no longer possible and you no longer receive sonar reports from the UUV once the wire is cut.

The Unload/Load Process If the tube’s number is selected while it is being reloaded, you notice the WEAPON STOWED indicator blinks in the tube’s Launcher Control Panel. The name of the weapon originally loaded in the tube displays in the Tube Status Bar while the name of the weapon to be loaded appears in the Tube and Weapon Selection Panel. Once the original weapon is unloaded the name of the weapon being loaded displays in the Tube Task Bar and the Target Assignment is cleared. (You must reassign a target to the new weapon from the Target Display.) The presets for the new weapon appear in the Presets Panel. The reload process is not complete until the Weapon Stowed indicator stops blinking.

Tip: Be very careful where you click in the Tube and Weapon Selection Panel. If you intend to select the tube number but click the weapon name instead, you start a reload of that tube. A reload is time consuming!

ATTACKING LAND TARGETS

The Seawolf can carry Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs). To attack a land target from Fire Control, the latitude and longitude coordinates of the site must be fed into the fire control system and a series of waypoints defined for the missile to follow. The coordinates are usually defined in a tasking message.

     

    1. Set Ownship depth to 150 ft or less and a speed of 6 knots or less. Do not fire the missile until this depth and speed have been achieved or the missile will fail on launch.

       

       

      2. From the Target Display Station click the number of a tube containing a land attack missile. The DEFINE TARGET WAYPOINTS option appears in the Presets Panel.

         

         

        3. Click DEFINE TARGET WAYPOINTS then click the Fire Control map to place four weapon waypoints. The number next to the last waypoint indicates the tube number.

             

           

           Click a waypoint to enter exact coordinates in the Latitude and Longitude presets or click and drag the waypoint to the desired location. Watch the latitude and longitude readout in the lower left corner of the Fire Control map as you drag the waypoint to determine its current location. 

         

         

       

       

     

     

 The outermost waypoint should be placed at the exact latitude and longitude of the target as specified in your orders. If a landfall waypoint is directed in your tasking make sure that one of the earlier waypoints is placed at that latitude and longitude.  

     

4. Set the destruct range for the missile. This is the range at which the missile will self-destruct if it has not encountered a target.

     

     

    5. Initiate the launch procedure for the tube in the Launch Panel.

       

     

     

 

 

 

 

 Note: Land sites with Link Contact IDs can be targeted from the Nav screen using the Contact Menu’s Engage With command.

 

LAYING A MINEFIELD Follow these steps to lay a minefield.

 

 

1. Check your tasking or determine the exact latitude and longitude for each mine to be placed.

2. Determine which tube will fire the mine destined for each specific location. From the Launch Panel, load the desired tubes with mines.

3. Set Waypoints for each mine to follow. In the Target Display Panel click the tube number to select. Click DEFINE TARGET WAYPOINT in the Preset Panel then click the Fire Control map to place the waypoint.

4. Select the waypoint and drag it to the desired location using the lat/long readout at the bottom of the Fire Control map or enter the desired latitude and longitude in the waypoint presets.

Tip: Once mines are loaded and presets are entered, you can fire the tube from the Nav Map using the Ownship or Orders Menus. Map Markers can be placed on the Nav Map indicating the mine location and a launch point for the mine designated for that location. Using this method you can better tell when to fire the tube.

 

 

5. When all mines are ready to fire, launch the mines in the planned order from the Launch Panel or with the Fire Tube command in the Orders Menu.

6. After firing the mine, reload the tube with a new mine or weapon.

 DEPLOYING AND WIRE-GUIDING UUVS

Because a UUV is a sensor, not a weapon, it need not be assigned a target in the Target Display to be fired.

     

    1. Set Ownship speed to 4 knots or less. Do not launch the UUV until that speed has been achieved.

       

       

      2. In the Launch Panel click the number of a tube containing a UUV. The UUV presets appear in the Launch Panel Presets Panel.

         

         

        3. To launch a UUV to a depth other than Ownship depth, click the checkmark to deselect USE OS DEPTH and display the DEPTH preset. Click or right-click a digit to increase or decrease the value.

           

           

          4. Select the desired tube in the Launch Panel and initiate the launch procedure as for a torpedo.

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             If a UUV is in a tube it can be launched from the Orders or Ownship Menus using the FIRE TUBE command without visiting the Fire Control Station. It will be launched at Ownship’s depth.

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              Wire-Guiding and Enabling UUV Active Sonar

                 

                 

                1. From the Target Display select the UUV symbol on the Fire Control map. The UUV has a U in the center of the symbol. The wire-guide controls appear in the Preset Panel

                   

                 

                 

             

             

           

           

         

         

       

       

     

     

 

2. Click the ORDERED HEADING arrows to adjust the course of the UUV.

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     Passive sonar mode is on by default when a UUV is launched but active sonar mode can be enabled at any time as long as the wire is still attached and the 30-minute battery is functioning. Be aware that capable ships and subs in the area can detect UUV active sonar. However, active sonar may be necessary when traversing a minefield. Follow these steps to enable UUV active sonar.

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      3. Click ENABLE to initiate active sonar.

         

         

        4. Click PRE-ENABLE to de-activate active sonar and return to passive mode.

           

           

          5. Click SHUTDOWN to stop sonar reports.  

          Note: Closing the muzzle door after launching the UUV cuts the guidance wire. Once the wire is cut the UUV no longer sends sonar returns.

           

           

         

         

       

       

     

     

 

 

UUV Returns Sonar returns from the UUV are automatically assigned a Track ID and can be found in the TMA Selected Track drop-down list and on the Nav and Fire Control maps. UUV sonar returns do not show up on any of the screens of the Sonar Suite although the UUV itself displays as a contact in Broadband and Narrowband Sonar. Depending on its course, the UUV may provide returns on Ownship.

 A contact detected by a UUV in passive mode appears on the Nav Map as a yellow Unknown symbol at the end of a white line of bearing that extends from the location of the UUV at a default range of 10 nm.

 A contact detected by a UUV in active mode appears as a yellow Unknown symbol at the end of a green line of bearing. The length of the LOB indicates the range of the contact from the UUV.

Note: UUVs cannot be retrieved. Once the battery is expended you need only close the muzzle door to cut the wire and jettison the UUV. The tube can then be re-loaded. Altering Ownship’s course by more than 90° cuts the wire.

COUNTERMEASURE LAUNCH PANEL Active and passive decoys are available in external and internal tubes. The loadout in the Seawolf’s external countermeasure tubes can only be changed from Weapons Loadout Screen prior to starting a mission. Internal tubes can be loaded during gameplay as long as countermeasures are available. The Seawolf’s Countermeasure Launch Panel consists of The External Tubes Launch Controls, the Internal Tubes Launch Controls, the Presets

Panel, the External Tube Presets Selector, and the Internal Tube Preset and Countermeasure Selector.

 

External CM Tubes Launcher Controls

Each external tube can contain two countermeasures. In S.C.S. – Dangerous Waters you can launch each of these separately. The upper and lower Launch buttons correspond to the upper and lower countermeasures named above the Launch buttons.

     

    Launching a Countermeasure:

       

       

      1. In the Internal or External Tubes Presets Selector click the number of the tube you want to fire. (The tube number above or below the selected tube is also selected.) The presets for the selected tubes appear in the Presets Panel.

         

         

        2. Use OS Depth is selected by default. To enter an exact depth for the countermeasure, deselect Use OS Depth to display the Depth preset. Click or right-click the digits in the Depth preset to adjust the number values.

           

           

          3. Find the desired tube number in the Countermeasure Launch Controls Panel and click LAUNCH. Launch buttons outlined in green can be fired. An orange outline indicates that the tube is empty.

             

             

            4. If the tube fired was an internal tube, reload the tube.

               

             

             

           

           

         

         

       

       

 

 

 

     

Reloading an Internal CM Tube

     

Only the internal countermeasure tubes can be reloaded.

     

 In the Internal Tubes Presets and Countermeasure Selector click EMPTY or the name of the countermeasure you want to change and continue to click to cycle though the available options.

     

 

     

 WEAPON INVENTORY

     

The Weapons Inventory simply displays the current type and number of weapons on board your sub. No interaction is possible. The numbers decline as appropriate each time a weapon or countermeasure is dispensed.

     

 TACTICAL WEAPONS

     

The Seawolf Class submarines carry weapons capable of targeting surface ships, submarines and land targets. For gameplay purposes the Seawolf can also target helicopters and low-lying planes from the sail bridge with a shoulder mounted SAM launcher when surfaced. Available weapons are described briefly below.

Mk 48 Torpedo ADCAP (Advanced Capability): This weapon can be used against both surface and submarine targets and can be wire-guided. It has a maximum range of 27 nm, a maximum speed of 55 knots and a maximum depth of 2,394 feet,

TLAM (Tomahawk Land Attack Missile): The Tomahawk is the standard sub-launched strike weapon for use against land targets. It has a range of approximately 1400 nm For successful launch of this weapon during gameplay, Ownship depth must not exceed 150 feet and speed must not exceed 6 knots.

     

Gameplay Weapons

     

TASM (Tomahawk Antiship Missile): For gameplay purposes TASMs are assigned to the Seawolf and 688(I) class submarines. In actuality, these weapons have been removed from the fleet and are being converted to Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles. The TASM has a warhead of 500 kg and a range of 250 nm. For successful launch of this missile during gameplay, Ownship depth must not exceed 150 feet and speed must not exceed 6 knots.

Harpoon: (Anti-Ship Missile): Seawolf and 688(I) class subs no longer carry Harpoons. They are available for gameplay purposes in the loadout screen but they are not loaded by default. The Harpoon has a range of 70 nm. For successful launch of this missile during gameplay, Ownship depth must not exceed 150 feet and speed must not exceed 6 knots.

 STRATEGIC WEAPONS

Mk 67 SLMM: The submarine-launched mobile mine is a modified Mk 37 torpedo whose warhead was replaced by a Mk 13 mine warhead. The torpedo’s propulsion system is used to maneuver the mine to the coordinates programmed into its guidance system. The SLMM has a 235 kg warhead, a maximum speed of 26 knots and a maximum range of 11.5 nm 

 COUNTERMEASURES

     

 

 

Countermeasures are defensive weapons used to prevent an enemy’s torpedo from destroying your sub. The Seawolf carries Active and Passive torpedo decoys that can be launched from Fire Control Launch Panel, or via the Ownship or Orders Menus’ Countermeasure option.

Passive Decoy: Used against passive homing torpedoes, this decoy emits sound (noise) across a broad spectrum of frequencies in an attempt to deceive the torpedo into homing in on the decoy.

Active Decoy: Used against active homing torpedoes this decoy is a bubble generator that creates an area of bubbles in an attempt to provide a false echo to the torpedo.

Decoy Depth: Decoys fired from the Fire Control Launch Panel are launched at Ownship Depth. Countermeasures fired via the Ownship or Orders’ Menus’ Countermeasures option can be launched at either a Shallow (100 feet) or Deep (800 feet) depth.

     

 

 

PRESETS

     

 

 

Everything that can be launched from the Fire Control Station has at least one preset. Presets are instructions that tell the weapon or UUV or countermeasure what to do. All presets are presented here alphabetically by type.

     

     Click/right-click on the digits to increase or decrease the value.

       

       

      Antiship Missile Presets

         

         

        Harpoon and TASM

        Destruct Range: Sets the range at which the missile self-destructs if a target is not encountered. Use this to avoid hitting neutral and friendly ships in the area.

     

     

Seeker Activate: Sets the range in nautical miles at which the missile begins to search. This can be used to help discriminate against other shipping in congested waters.

Wide Seeker Pattern: When checked the search pattern is set to wide. When deselected the search pattern is narrow. This can be used to help discriminate against other shipping in congested waters.

Note: Your ship must be at 150 ft or less and at 6 knots or less to successfully launch one of these antiship weapons.

 

 

 

Land Attack Missile Presets

     

    TLAM

    Define Target Waypoints: Click DEFINE TARGET WAYPOINTS then click the Fire Control map to place four waypoints for the weapon to follow.

Latitude/Longitude: Click a waypoint to display presets for setting the precise Latitude and Longitude for the waypoint. Click or right-click the preset digits to increase or decrease the value. You can also click a waypoint and drag it to the desired location. Watch the Latitude/Longitude readout in the lower left of the Fire Control map when dragging a waypoint to determine the waypoint’s current location.

Destruct Range (nm): Sets the range at which the missile self-destructs if a target is not encountered. Use this to avoid hitting neutral and friendly ships in the area.

 Note: Your ship must be at 150 ft or less and at 6 knots or less to successfully launch one of these Land Attack Missiles. Waypoints must be assigned before the missile can be launched.

Mine Presets

     

    SLMM

       

    Define Target Waypoints: Click DEFINE TARGET WAYPOINTS then click the Fire Control map to place a single waypoint.

    Latitude/Longitude: Click the waypoint to display presets for setting the precise latitude and longitude for the waypoint. These coordinates define the final destination of the mine. Click the digits in the preset panel to set the desired value. You can also click a waypoint and drag it to the desired location. Watch the Latitude/Longitude readout in the lower left of the Fire Control map when dragging a waypoint to determine the waypoint’s current location.

Torpedo Presets

Mk 48 ADCAP

Snapshot Bearing (deg): The weapon is fired on the bearing entered here. (This preset only appears if Snapshot is assigned to the tube from the Target drop-down list.)

Search Pattern: Set the search pattern for the weapon (Circle or Snake)

Ceiling: Set the depth above which the weapon does not travel.

Floor: Set the depth below which the weapon does not travel.

Depth: Set the depth at which the weapon travels.

Speed: Set the speed at which the weapon travels.

RTE (yds): (Run To Enable) Set the distance (in yards) the weapon travels before it enables and starts its active search. Enabling the weapon too soon can alert the target in time to take evasive measures. Enabling too late can mean the weapon runs past the target.

Active: When Checked the weapon is launched in Active sonar mode. Deselect to launch the weapon in Passive mode.

Countermeasure and UUV Presets

Use OS Depth: Set the depth at which the UUV travels to that of Ownship. Use OD Depth is selected by default. Deselect the option to display the Depth option.

Depth: Enter the desired depth for the UUV to travel. Click a digit to increment the value. Right-click to decrease the value.

 

 

TMA STATION [F7]

At the Target Motion Analysis (TMA) station, data from the Seawolf’s sensors are used to determine a contact’s bearing, range, course and speed. This information, called a target solution or simply a solution, is necessary to accurately target a contact with your ship’s weapons.

Performing TMA is not easy and without at least a rudimentary understanding of TMA functionality it is highly unlikely that TMA can be performed successfully. Since the FFG and all submarine classes in S.C.S. - Dangerous Waters have a TMA station, the TMA basics are described just once in this manual. See Training/TMA Basics for information on how to perform target motion analysis. Refer back to that section while learning to perform target motion analysis at the Seawolf’s TMA station.

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 TMA STATION COMPONENTS

     

The Seawolf’s TMA station is composed or several distinct areas: The TMA Display, the view controls and readouts, the track selection area, trial solution input area and the solution area. These areas are described briefly below. See the Training Section on TMA for additional information about these areas.

Seawolf TMA Display

The TMA Display, sometimes called the TMA Board, presents a representation of Ownship, a history of bearing data for a selected contact, a TMA ruler and an error dot stack. These tools are used to analyze sensor inputs.

     

    Bearing Lines (LOBs)

       

    When a sensor sends a bearing report to the TMA a history of each report is maintained. When a contact is selected the bearing report history for that contact appears on the TMA board. The lines extend indefinitely for contacts reported by sensors that report only a bearing. The ruler is found at the default range of 10,000 yards.

    The ruler is found at the end of the LOB (the reported range) when it is reported by active sonar, radar or the stadimeter. The color of the bearing lines indicates the sensor that is detecting it.

    Spherical (bow) array: White

    Conformal (hull) array: Blue

    Towed Array: Purple

    Active sonar: Green

    Active Intercept: Yellow

    Periscope or ESM: Red

    Radar: Yellow

     

     

    UUV passive sonar: White

    UUV active sonar: Green

       

Time History Right-Click Menu

     

Right click the TMA Display to change the bearing return history on the TMA Display. As long as a tracker is tracking, bearing information is sent to TMA in two-minute intervals. If the screen gets too cluttered, change the number of lines that are displayed. History options available are 10 minutes, 20 minutes (default), 1 hour and 4 hours. A check mark indicates the selected option.

The TMA Ruler

The TMA ruler is used to generate your best estimate of the contact’s course and speed. Its location on the board relative to Ownship indicates your estimate of the range of the contact. With each new bearing line an additional tick mark is added to the ruler and another dot is added to the top of the dot stack.

The ruler components are described below. 

 The arrowhead on the ruler indicates the course of the contact.  

 The length of the ruler represents the current estimate of the contact’s speed: the longer the ruler, the faster the estimated speed. 

 The distance of the ruler from the Ownship marker represents the contact’s estimated range.  

Each tick mark represents a specific interval of time. (Towed and Bow arrays update every two minutes while radar and continuous active sonar update with every sweep or ping.) The mark at the end of the ruler represents the initial or oldest information. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The estimated current bearing of the contact is a point just ahead of the arrowhead. The last reported bearing is represented by the tick mark closest to the arrowhead.

Note: All of the current estimates represented by the ruler appear in numerical form in the Solution Input Area under the TMA Display.

Maniplating the Speed Strip Ruler

 The speed strip ruler is adjusted as follows.

 

 

 Adjusting length and direction: Click and drag the end mark or the arrowhead to adjust the length or direction of the ruler. Positioning Tick marks: The tick mark closest to the arrowhead should be placed on the most recent bearing line. The end tick mark should be positioned on the initial or oldest bearing line.

Using the Handle: A circle appears at the center of the ruler when more than one tick is present and speed is more than zero. The circle acts as a handle. Click the handle and drag the entire ruler to another location. The handle maintains the current course and speed settings of the ruler and adjusts range and bearing

Tip: Center on the ruler and zoom in to better manipulate the ruler and access the handle. If you have difficulty dragging the ruler to get the arrowhead pointed in the desired direction, enter the desired course number in the course field. You can also press [SHIFT] and click and drag the TMA Display where you want to place the end of the ruler or press [SHIFT] and right-click and drag to place the arrowhead.

 

 

 

 

The Dot Stack

The dot stack in the upper left corner is a graphical representation of the error between tick marks and bearing lines. The dot at the top of the stack is associated with the most recent bearing line. Moving the ruler and adjusting the location of the tick marks allows you to line up the dots along the center vertical line in the dot stack. The analysis is probably most nearly correct when the top most dots are on the centerline. This process is called stacking the dots.

 TMA Data Display

     

The upper right corner of the TMA station contains the TMA Data Display. The named fields in the Data Display are described briefly here.

Contact: The upper Contact field displays the contact ID that is selected in the SELECT drop-down list and the second instance displays the contact ID that is selected in the MERGE drop-down list. See Select Tracks below.

Source: The upper Source field displays the sensor source (e.g. Sphere or Towed) of the contact selected in the SELECT drop-down list and the second instance of the word displays the sensor source of the contact selected in the MERGE drop-down list. See TMA Button Matrix/Select Tracks below.

Firing Solution: Also called the system solution, the values seen here represent the current solution in use by the Fire Control system for the selected contact. These fields display zeros until you have clicked ENTER SOLN in the TMA Trial Solution Area.  

 To change the solution in use by the system for the selected contact, alter the ruler to the desired position on the TMA Display or enter numbers directly into the trial solution area fields, then click the ENTER SOLN button again.

Seawolf TMA Button Matrix

     

In the lower left of the TMA station is the main TMA button Matrix. Buttons with downward pointing arrows display additional controls.

SELECT TRACKS: Click to display the contact selection matrix and the following options:

MERGE: Merges the contacts selected in the Select and Merge drop-down lists.

SPLIT: Splits the merged contact (M01, M02 etc) selected in the SELECT drop-down list into its two original components.

DROP: Permanently drops the contact selected in the SELECT drop-down list.

SELECT Drop-down list: Displays the Contact IDs of all contacts marked by OS sensors. When a contact is selected here its bearing history is displayed on the TMA board.

MERGE Drop-down list: Displays all Contact IDs except that of the contact selected in the SELECT drop-down list. When a contact is selected here, its bearing history appears on the TMA board along with that of the contact selected in the SELECT drop-down list.

BACK: Returns to the main button matrix.

TIME: Click to display the numbered buttons that control the minutes of bearing history to be displayed on the TMA Board. As long as a tracker is tracking, bearings are plotted every 2 minutes, therefore 10 min = up to 5 bearing lines, 20 min = up to 10 bearing lines, etc. Options are 10, 20, 60 and 240 minutes.

TMA Display View Controls: The buttons in the lower three-quarters of the main TMA button Matrix contain controls for adjusting the view on the TMA Display board.

CENTER ON OWNSHIP: Click to center the OS symbol in the TMA Display.

Arrows: Click to move the view in the direction of the arrow.

ZOOM IN/ZOOM OUT: Click to zoom the view as indicated or use these keyboard/mouse

     

 Press [CTRL] and click to zoom out. Press [CTRL] and right-click to zoom in.  

 Roll the mouse wheel forward to zoom in, backward to zoom out.  

 Click the CENTER ON RULER button below the TMA Display before zooming in for the clearest view.

Seawolf TMA Trial Solution Area  

The area below the TMA Display is used to create and fine-tune a firing solution for the selected contact. From this area the solution is entered into the ship’s fire control system.

BEARING, COURSE, RANGE, and SPEED Fields: Represent the trial solution for the selected contact. The current position and size of the TMA ruler is reflected in these fields These numbers are altered by dragging and resizing the ruler or by entering values directly into these fields. The ruler moves to reflect the entered values.

Lock Buttons: Click the button to the above of each field to lock the value in that field. The ruler reflects the locked value. A depressed, illuminated button indicates a locked value. (If a value is locked for one contact it is locked for all. Unlock the field when analyzing other contacts.)

CENTER ON RULER: Click to bring the ruler to the center of the TMA Board.

ENTER SOLN: Click to enter the values in the trial solution fields into the fire control system. The NTDS symbol for this contact is located on the Nav and Fire Control maps at the designated bearing and range and moves on the course and speed entered here.

     

 Note: The ruler position for selected contact A is not retained when you select Contact B unless a solution has been entered for Contact A prior to selecting another contact. This means that unless you enter your solution, the ruler you have carefully positioned on contact A will be in a different position when Contact A is reselected. Don’t lose your work. Enter your solution. You can always fine-tune it later.

     

 TMA ON RADAR, ACTIVE SONAR, VISUAL CONTACTS  

Contacts marked with active sonar, radar and the Stadimeter appear as a bearing/range pair on the TMA Display. The bearing line ends with a tiny triangle positioned at the range of the contact. If the target’s bearing and range are known at two different times, as is the case with active sonar and radar, the solution can be found by connecting dots and ‘drawing a line’ with the ruler for course and speed.

A UUV in active mode provides returns from the location of the UUV in TMA and on the Nav and Fire Control maps.

Note: Marking a contact with the periscope does not provide an automatic range. But using the Stadimeter to manipulate a photo of the visual contact can provide you with a range that is fairly accurate. See Seawolf Stations/Seawolf Periscope-Stadimeter Stations/Seawolf Stadimeter Station. When visual or periscope contacts are referred to in this section, it is assumed that you have determined a range for the contact and marked it in the Stadimeter Station. The Periscope and Stadimeter Stations work hand in glove.

To determine a target solution for Active Sonar, Periscope or Radar Contacts:

     

    1. Click SELECT TRACKS. From the SELECT dropdown list select a contact ID.  

Radar contacts have an R designation, visual contacts have a V designation, and active sonar contacts have an S designation the same as passive sonar contacts.

A bearing line appears on the TMA Display. A tiny triangle at the end of the bearing line indicates the target’s range at time the contact was marked.  

 After a short interval return to the active sonar or radar station (whichever you are using) and mark the contact again. (When ON Radar Autocrew automatically marks contacts as long as the Radar is radiating.)  

For visual contacts, take another photo of the contact from the periscope and manipulate it in Stadimeter, then mark the contact again from the Stadimeter Station.

Continue to mark the contact at two-minute intervals to accumulate several bearing lines. Toggle back and forth between the TMA and your chosen sensor.

Adjust the view on the TMA Display to get a clear view of the ruler and the range triangle.  

Move the ruler to the location of the range triangle, click CENTER ON RULER then click the zoom buttons to better adjust the view. If you lose site of the ruler, zoom all the way out or click the red center on ruler button again. 

 Drag the arrowhead or tail of the ruler to adjust the tick marks along the bearing lines until the dots line up in the dot stack indicating a good solution. 

 Click ENTER SOLN to send the trial solution to the Fire Control system.

TMA ON PASSIVE SONAR AND ESM CONTACTS 

Determining a plausible solution is more complex when only a bearing is known, as is the case with passive sonar and ESM contacts. It takes more time and changes to Ownship course may be necessary to determine an accurate solution.

Passive sonar contacts with assigned trackers are updated automatically on the TMA Display. ESM contacts must be updated manually by repeatedly marking the contact at the ESM Station. Contacts detected by a UUV in passive sonar mode are displayed on a LOB from the location of the UUV on the TMA Display and in the Nav and Fire Control maps.

  1. To perform TMA on passive sonar contacts:

     Click SELECT TRACKS. From the SELECT dropdown list select a contact ID. 

     A line of bearing appears on the TMA Display. The ruler appears at the default range of 10,000 yards on the most recent LOB with the arrowhead facing Ownship (or the UUV sensor if it is a UUV contact) with a default speed of 10 knots. These default values appear in the trial solution fields directly to the right of the TMA Display.

     

 Note: No contacts appear in the drop-down lists if no contacts have been designated. Link contacts do not appear in the TMA track list.  

2. Adjust the ruler position to estimate the contact solution.

 Position the end tick of the ruler on the oldest bearing line. (The end tick is on the oldest bearing line when the bottom dot is on the centerline of the dot stack.) 

 Click CENTER ON RULER then click the zoom buttons to better adjust the view. 

 If you lose site of the ruler, zoom all the way out or click CENTER ON RULER again. 

 Note: The circular ruler handle is only visible when the ruler contains more than one tick mark or a speed of greater than 1 knot (kt) is set in the Speed field in the trial solution area. You must zoom way in on the ruler to see it at that speed. You also can set the speed temporarily to 10 knots or more. This will expand the ruler and reveal the handle.  

3. Enter any known data in the trial solution fields.

 If you have additional data on the contact’s range, or course, for example from an intelligence message, enter it in the appropriate solution field. If you have determined the contact’s speed using DEMON, enter that speed in the speed field. Click the digits to cycle through the values.  

If you are sure about one aspect of the solution (e.g. range) enter that value directly into the Range field then lock the field. That keeps you from dragging the ruler to a different range. 

To lock a field, click the red button associated with the field. Lock buttons are located to the right of each trial solution label. These buttons are lit when the field is locked.

     

4. Adjust the ruler on the display until the tick marks align well with the contact bearing lines and the dots appear to line up along the centerline off the dot stack.

Click the handle in the middle of the ruler to drag the entire ruler.

Click and drag on either end of the ruler to move just that end or to adjust the length of the ruler.

     

     

5. When a good match between the tick marks, the bearing lines and the dot stack has been achieved, click ENTER SOLN to send this information to the Fire Control system. The system tracks the estimated position of the contact based on this system solution and uses that estimated location when targeting the contact.

The entered system solution displays in the Firing Solution fields in the TMA Data Display. To update the contact’s system solution, adjust the ruler or directly input information in the trial solution fields and click ENTER SOLN again.

     

     

6. Changing Ownship’s course and/or speed can refine the TMA solution. After steadying on the new course and/or speed, adjust the ruler to achieve the best fit.

If one TMA solution does not fit the entire observed bearing data, consider the fact that the contact itself may have changed course and/or speed (a contact "zig".). Attempt to achieve a better fit of the ruler by disregarding some of the earlier bearing lines and looking only at recent bearings.

Merging, Splitting and Dropping Contacts

     

If the same contact is tracked by more than one sensor (e.g., a contact tracked by passive sonar and radar), the data can be merged into a "master" contact. (Master contacts have alphanumeric designations that begin with the letter M.) This can be very useful if you have a good range from one sensor (radar or active sonar) and a good bearing history from another (passive sonar).

1. Click SELECT TRACKS. From the SELECT drop-down list select one of the contacts to be merged.  

2. From the MERGE drop-down list select the track to be merged with the contact selected in the SELECT drop-down list.  

3. Click the MERGE button. To undo a merge, select the master contact (e.g. M01) from the SELECT drop-down and click the SPLIT button.

  1.  

    �� To drop the selected contact altogether, click the DROP button. Dropping a contact cannot be undone.

       

    �� Note: If the TMA Autocrew is activated you cannot move the TMA ruler. Seawolf Autocrew/Seawolf TMA Autocrew

       

TMA ON UUV SENSOR CONTACTS

     

In S.C.S. - Dangerous Waters all controllable submarines can carry Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs). These UUVs have sonar capabilities only and cannot launch weapons. For information on launching UUVs see Seawolf Stations/Seawolf Fire Control Suite/Deploying and Wire-Guiding UUVs.

The lines of bearing for contacts detected by a UUV are drawn from the location of the UUV at the time of the report, not from Ownship’s location. TMA on UUV contacts is performed as for any other sonar contact in active or passive mode.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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