desperate attempt to break the radar lock, the pilot uses
evasive maneuvering. It’s too late though. As the
missile approaches its lethal “kill radius,” the
proximity fuze on the missile’s warhead detonates the
missile’s explosive charge, sending fragments out in
every direction, destroying or neutralizing the target
(figure 2-24). This information is confirmed by your
ship’s sensors. The radar continues to track that target
as it falls into the sea and the ESM equipment goes
silent.
THE FIRE CONTROL PROBLEM
The above scenario is not something out of a war
novel, but rather an example of a possible engagement
between a hostile force (the enemy attack aircraft) and
a Naval Weapons System (the ship). This scenario
illustrates the concept of the “detect-to-engage”
sequence, which is an integral part of the modern Fire
Control Problem. Although the scenario was one of a
surface ship against an air target, every weapon system
performs the same functions: target detection,
resolution or localization, classification, tracking,
weapon selection, and ultimately neutralization. In
warfare, these functions are performed by submarines,
aircraft, tanks, and even Marine infantrymen. The
target may be either stationary or mobile; it may travel
in space, through the air, on the ground or surface of the
sea, or even beneath the sea (figure 2-25). It may be
m a n n e d o r u n m a n n e d , g u i d e d o r u n g u i d e d ,
maneuverable or in a fixed trajectory. It may travel at
speeds that range from a few knots to several times the
speed of sound.
The term weapons system is a generalization
encompassing a broad spectrum of components and
subsystems. These components range from simple
devices operated manually by a single person to
complex devices operated by computers.
To accomplish one specific function, a complex
array of subsystems may be interconnected by
computers and data communication links. This
interconnecting allows the array to perform several
f u n c t i o n s o r t o e n g a g e n u m e r o u s t a r g e t s
simultaneously. Although each subsystem may be
specifically designed to solve a particular part of the
fire control problem, having these components operate
in concert that allows the whole system to achieve its
ultimate goal — the neutralization of the target.
COMPONENTS
All modern naval weapons systems, regardless of
the medium they operate in or the type of weapon they
use, consist of the basic components that allow the
system to detect, track and engage the target. Sensor
components must be designed for the environments in
which the weapon system and the target operate. These
components must also be capable of coping with
widely varying target characteristics, including target
range, bearing, speed, heading, size and aspect.
Detecting the Target
There are three phases involved in target detection
by a weapons system. The first phase is surveillance
and detection, the purpose of which is to search a
predetermined area for a target and detect its presence.
This may be accomplished actively, by sending energy
out into the medium and waiting for the reflected
energy to return, as in radar, or passively, by receiving
energy being emitted by the target, as by ESM in our
scenario. The second phase is to measure or localize
the target’s position more accurately and by a series of
such measurements estimate its behavior or motion
relative to ownship. This is done by repeatedly
determining the target’s range, bearing, and depth or
elevation. Finally, the target must be classified; that is,
its behavior must be interpreted to estimate its type,
number, size and most importantly identity. The
capabilities of weapon system sensors are measured by
2-18
Figure 2-24. —Successful engagement of a missile.
