EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

Integrated Maritime Portable Integrated Maritime Portable Acoustic Scoring & Simulation Acoustic Scoring & Simulation

(IMPASS) System (IMPASS) System Live Firing Brief Live Firing Brief

(Mod 11)(Mod 11)

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

Complete NSFS certification (FIREX) IAW FXP-5 (B) and the Surface Force Exercise Manual (SFEM) COMNAVPACINST/COMNAVLANTINST 3500.11

Mission Objective

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

Environmental Regulatory Compliance

• Marine mammal/sea turtle lookouts will have completed the US Navy Marine Species Awareness Training

• Passive acoustic sonobuoys (3 DIFARS) will be deployed during the IMPASS buoy deployment (DIFARS dropped at buoy positions 2, 4 and 5) (See LOI for NCEA)

• If an animal is sighted or detected in, or moving towards, the buoy field, the exercise will be temporarily halted for 15-20 minutes or until the animal has been visually observed to have cleared the buoy field

• If a marine mammal/sea turtle is detected within 70 yards of the engaged side, the event will be suspended until the animal has cleared

70 Yds

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

• Any injured sea turtle or marine mammal sighted during the exercise will be reported immediately via UNIT SITREP

• Naval vessels should avoid approaching any whale or sea turtle head on, and should maneuver to maintain at least 500 yds from any observed whale or sea turtle

Environmental Regulatory Compliance

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

Ship’s FIREX SOE Summary• 1 Hour prior to Sunrise – Man Buoy Handling Team

– Boat Crew Manned/Starboard CHT secured prior to buoy deployment• First light/Comms & GPS Established – Deploy Buoys (45 min)– 3 NM from Buoy field – SPY up, conduct PAC fire (MT 51/MT52) (1RDC

Charge)

• At start position – Conduct first time check & commence Nav• Nav Set – Report ready, conduct preliminary missions:

– IMPASS Detection, determine BL&P vice HE– Trend Analysis (Calibrate guns to buoy field) (MT 51/MT52)– Trend Analysis Verification (Verify spots from trend analysis) (MT 51/MT52)

• Receive Pre-arranged area target grids for schedule of fires• Ask any questions prior to start of FIREX• Send second time check and required reports to set H-Hour and start event

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

Initial Ballistic Computation and Velocimeter set up

• IBC procedures are contained in:

― SW300-BD-ORD-010/(U): Preparation, Analysis and Predicted Accuracy of Naval Gunnery

• IBC manually computed based on current data, Delta corrections computed from Smooth Log, PAC/Shoot IV data base for type of round/powder AUR # (all up round number) to be shot

• Manually enter computed IBC data at GMCP

• Velocimeter for surface gunnery is in MANUAL operation, NEVER IN AUTOMATIC due to spot pyramiding effect

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

Buoy Deployment

•No-Go criteria–Sea state 3 or greater at time of deployment or forecast

to be 3 or greater at time of recovery (CO Discretion)–Reduced visibility (CO Discretion)

• Optimum visibility allows ship to observe fall of shot

– Lightning (OCE Discretion)• Deployment/recovery will be suspended when lightning is observed

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

• Buoy deployment requires 30-45 minutes from first position– RHIB Crew on Standby

–Secure SPY while buoys are topside and remain in standby until ship is 3 miles from buoy field

• Drop buoys at pre-determined positions – Use ship’s NAV to drive ship to drop-off points

–Buoys lowered from fantail and dropped on command from Bridge (Require communications directly with bridge and countdown to drop point)

Buoy Deployment

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

• Drop buoys at pre-determined positions–Ship must maintain a steady course through the buoy drop

point at 4-5 knots for optimum buoy deployment and to provide good opening speed once buoy is deployed

– Ship MUST not back down, twist or turn until buoy is clear

– IMPASS team member on fantail will indicate when buoy is clear and ship is safe to maneuver

–Upon completion of buoy field deployment, TEAM IMPASS will provide recommended position for ship to start first firing run

Buoy Deployment

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

800m

Pentagon pattern with each side approx 1000m (~1.6 km/1 mi. across field)

Center Buoy 800m south of Northern Buoy (Center of Field)

1

3 6

2

DIFAR

4

DIFAR

5

DIFAR

Buoy Deployment

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

Ships track will normally be a North / South course, the platform will shoot from the East to the West maintaining a firing range of 10K-14K yds from the center of the buoy field

1

2

DIFAR

4

DIFAR

5

DIFAR

3 6

Buoy Deployment

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

Conduct of Exercise• Altitude will be called in as normal for fire missions but

WILL NOT be entered into fire control system

• IMPASS team will provide QM’s with a buoy contact log sheet for tracking buoys during the event

• Updated buoy position will be logged approximately every 45 minutes as follows:

- Ship’s Bridge Navigation team will receive GPS bearing and range updates from IMPASS team

• Contact log sheet to be returned to IMPASS Team leader upon completion of event

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

Exercise Requirements

• Dummy circuit with speaker on bridge• Handheld radios (2)• Reduced Charge and Illumination Rounds• Float coats (5) for buoy deployment team• Round count by NALC and nomenclature with

number of rounds fired per mount upon completion of event

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

FIREX Requirements

As of 01 October 2005, the FIREX consists of the following 6 missions:

•Area Target

•Danger Close

•Countermech Series

•SEAD

•Refire

•Coordinated Illumination

Observed Areas:

•Reduced Charge

•Checkfiring

•Grid/Polar/Shift

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

Loss of Buoy Comms/GPS

• Suspend FIREX event if Comms/GPS position is lost and IMMEDIATELY RECOVER the buoy (OCE Discretion)― Plot Estimated Position (EP) on NAV chart― Drive ship through last known position to EP―Conduct expanding square search (500 yard expansion) at EP if buoy

not located ― Buoys are equipped with strobe lights and a radar reflector

• Contact CNSL SDO if search interrupts FIREX • CNSL will be notified if unable to recover all buoys. CO will

make recommendation to continue or suspend search

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

Retrieval Procedures

• Break off from FIREX and begin buoy recovery with 2 hours of good visibility/2 hours prior to sunset (Sea State 3)– Secure SPY prior to closing within 3 miles of buoy field– IMPASS team provides range and bearing to each buoy– Recommend 2 RHIBs to expedite buoy recovery– 3 personnel required to lift buoy into RHIB and disassemble– Maximum 3 buoys per RHIB due to weight of buoys and to prevent

damage to buoys– Buoys unloaded from RHIB at the rail or after RHIB has been recovered

and in the skids– Buoys disassembled, cleaned (fresh water source and rags required),

and system repacked and secured by buoy handling team– Total time: Maximum 2 hours

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

Lessons Learned• Average starting time for FIREX is 0800-0900 due to Pre-FIREX

requirements:– Repositioning– Locking down the chart– Pac Fires– IMPASS Calibration– Trend Analysis/Trend Analysis Verification

• Ensure Gun Weapon System Suite is properly configured• Same powder lots should be used throughout the FIREX• Buoys can be tracked by radar out to 7 NMs• Buoys can be seen at 1,000 yards– Coach lookouts with GPS/radar bearing and range– Look under horizon for vertical mast– Small boat has better height of eye

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

Executive Overview

OBJECTIVESFIREX CERTIFICATION

GO/NO-GO CRITERIAMARINE MAMMALS/SEA TURTLEWEATHER/LIGHTNING (DEPLOY/RECOVERY)EQUIPMENT (SHIP/GFCS/RHIB)RANGE FOULERS

DAY OF EVENT SOESECURITE CALLS (EARLY/OFTEN)BEGIN 1 HR PRIOR TO SUNRISEESTABLISH COMMS WITH BUOYSLAUNCH BUOYS (45 MIN)PAC FIRE ENROUTE TO FSA (1 RDC POWDER)IMPASS DETECTION (5 RNDS)TREND ANALYSIS/VERIFICATION (MT 51/52) (5 -10 RNDS)COMMENCE FIREXSPY DOWN WITHIN 3NM OF BUOY FIELDRECOVERY BUOYS/WASH/STOWFEEDBACK TO TEAM

REQUIREMENTSMARINE MAMMAL TRAININGTOP SIDE/FLIGHT DECK LIGHTINGHANGAR DOORS OPEN (IF APPLICABLE)SPY DOWN WITHIN 3 NM OF BUOY FIELDRADIO COMMS FROM BRIDGE TO FANTAIL10 MAN BUOY TEAM (LAUNCH/RECOVERY)1 XBT, 3 DIFAR BUOYS5 FLOAT COATSSECURE STBD CHT DURING BUOY LAUNCHDUMMY CKT ON BRIDGE

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC

QUESTIONS?

EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC