GWOT VI - Hull 004525
Mar. 31st, 2021 09:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
drewkittyGWOT VI - Hull 004525
Welcome aboard the "25!"
This document is never to leave the Hull. Nor is it to be printed out. It, as with most of the ship's documentation and manuals, is a MOIST SECRET document. Your integrity and passion to defend California is unquestioned or you would not be aboard.
As an experienced LIDES Crewmember, you are of course familiar with how to work as part of a small group of expert sailors.
Now you are asked to work as a part of a far larger group of equally expert sailors.
A special note to Technical Specialists: if this is your first at-sea deployment, you have been asked to wear a TS brassard and to work closely with your assigned Mentor, an experienced Crewmember. We value your technical skills and want to get you fully qualified as soon as possible. Once you have earned your 'dolphin', or underwater combat qualifications, you will no longer wear the TS brassard. Meanwhile it is an essential safety item and you must wear it at any time you are not in your bunk. This is in part to prevent someone asking you to take on emergency tasks for which you are not qualified, such as deck and overside operations, securing watertight hatches, and fighting battery fires to name just a few.
The ship's station bill is especially important. It outlines the positions that each Crewmember, TS and Marine will take up during various events. This ship has several additional forms of Battle Stations in addition to those encountered on a LIDES hull.
Battle Stations, Air and Space Warfare. This is called when the Hull is asked to carry out her primary duty as an anti-missile and anti-satellite platform.
Battle Stations Strategic. This is frequently practiced. It is not the tradition on any Hull to carry out announced drills. All actions are potentially combat operations. Certain positions take precautions to prevent undesired or unauthorized launches. In particular, the term "ruby war shot" is never to be spoken unless authorized by the Duty Captain and two other Crewmembers in agreement. Deadly force is authorized.
Battle Stations Boarding Party. This is also frequently practiced. It is not anticipated that this Hull type will either execute a hostile boarding of enemy vessels, platforms or underwater bases; nor that this Hull will be boarded by enemy sailors or divers. However, two LIDES have boarded enemy surface ships in the past, and what we can do to others, we must be ready to defend against when it is done to us. Remember to follow all safety procedures with your issued and assigned weapons.
As this is a far larger Hull than any LIDES, it is imperative that you become thoroughly familiar with every part of the Hull as soon as possible. It is also important to follow the flow of movement throughout the vessel as indicated by the directional arrows. Note that this flow is different from the custom of the American Navy. Forward and up outboard; aft and down inboard; both with respect to the marked centerline; and 'up' and 'down' separations of companionways are also clearly marked.
There are no movement restrictions on this Hull, except that you do not enter the Conn without permission and never 'cut through' the Conn.
There are no distinctions of berthing or messing. The Duty Captain has a working station that includes a larger stateroom; the department heads and all other captain-qualified personnel have a combination stateroom-office; but we all use the same heads, eat the same chow and take the same Hollywood showers. As you may have on a LIDES, keep strictly in your mind the principles of equality and respect on which the California Naval Militia are founded.
It is expected that all TS will qualify as Crewmembers; that all Crewmembers will 'strike' or cross-qualify for all functions on the Hull; and that Qualified Crew will then strike for Captain qualification. Training is constant and rigorous. What you know and what you do may save or kill us all, and with us our entire state.
The permission of a second watchstander is always required to take an action that carries any chance of being detected outside the Hull. This includes sending a RF spectrum message or emitting radar, flooding tubes, generating power above certain thresholds, work that carries a chance of an acoustic transient, raising the periscope, bringing the Hull awash or fully on the surface, or leaving the Hull either while surfaced or underwater. You may have noticed that the Hull's toilet seats cannot be raised or lowered. This is not a joke. A LIDES killed an American submarine because we detected it due to a dropped toilet seat.
A few words about our armament:
This hull mounts eight tubes forward (1-8), sixty-four tubes amidships (9-72) and eight tubes aft (73-80). The fore and aft tubes are generally for self defense and loaded with a mix of conventional and red torpedoes and missiles. The amidships tubes are vertical launch systems each with individual hatches. Most can only be reloaded on the surface, but eight can be reloaded underwater and also double as escape tubes.
The sensor systems of this Hull are extremely powerful. While surfaced or awash, the sensor officer may choose or have to radiate at any moment. Exposed personnel will be killed but will also take hours to die.
This is the first CNM Hull to carry aircraft - fixed wing, rotary wing and dynamic lift (i.e. lighter than air). Unmanned craft must be controlled by tether or short range RF link, which carries obvious risks. Manned craft have more freedom of action but pose significant risks to the life of the pilot(s) if the tactical situation does not permit them either the craft or a downed pilot to be recovered.
This is not the first CNM Hull to be capable of towing and being towed, sending and receiving electrical power as well as data and commands through tethers.
This is not the first CNM Hull to be capable of laying and sweeping mines.
This is not the first CNM Hull to carry Marines and Bear Force personnel. However it is the the first to have berthing for over forty at a time without interfering with the other functions of the vessel. Treat them as Technical Specialists whose time and subject matter for participation in cross qualification is limited. At Battle Stations Boarding Party they will have special procedures and instructions that for Marines include the mounting and operation of crew-served weapons to defend the Hull at point blank.
Special weapons storage areas and reactor compartment are specifically 'on limits' to all embarked personnel unless specially designated otherwise by the Master at Arms. You will find these to be good places to study.
There are three health experts embarked - a Doctor, a Psyche and a Coach. All are cross-qualified but engage with each of the Crew (and each other) with respect to their specializations.
There are two heavily insulated 'privacy rooms' available for reservation. On duty uses such as prescriptions or working on portable equipment with heavy tools takes priority, but they are available for off duty use, alone or with one or two other persons.
You may have noticed that every nook, cranny and corner of the Hull is completely packed with food - much of it specially packaged to cut down on generated waste. All personnel assist in loading, moving and unloading as needed. Lift with your legs, not with your back. Avoid physical injury.
Do not under any circumstances keep any problem, issue or concern to yourself. Problems grow in isolation and shrink when shared. You will find that everyone on the ship has worked through numerous issues of all kinds, some of which may surprise you. "Serve in Silence" applies to information security outside the CNM, not to your performance as an integral part of this Crew. You will receive a lot of advice. Take it for what it may be worth. When you start getting asked for advice, speak freely but listen and take feedback.
This document is part of an extremely active Wiki and chat board which is itself a key information weapons system of this Hull. The forum moderators ask that you keep discussions topical to the forum and will move threads if necessary to keep forums on topic.
You prepared eight pre-determined, timed "wellness messages" to be sent to your family, as well as one "illness message" and one "departure message" only to be sent if you are seriously ill, badly hurt or perish. Subject to operational security measures, you may be able to send additional messages.
The amenities of this Hull are all larger in proportion, but require additional cooperation with each other to work smoothly. From mess hall to laundry, from berthing to armory, remember that something as simple as wiping the table after yourself, cleaning the dryer lint trap, changing your sheets a day early, or cleaning the brushes after cleaning your firearms, may have a great impact on your fellow Crew...
###
"Fire, fire, fire in the forward laundry."
The lights flared green and started pulsing. In swift, practiced motions, Crew started putting on masks and fume hoods and plugging into the ship's breathable air system. Others put on metallic fire jackets and shrugged into SCBA.
Hatches slammed all over the ship. Slammed was perhaps not the best term, as they were hydraulic and heavily rubberized. But they would still take your arm or leg off - just not cleanly.
"Conn, Sonar, contacts."
"No contacts."
"Diving officer, maintain your depth. Plot surfacing options."
To surface because of a fire would be a mission killer. To fail to surface when required would be an actual hard kill of the Hull and her Crew.
In the laundry, a Crewmember wearing red brassards on each arm was waving a sheet up and down. She was immediately hit with a fog stream of water and dropped the sheet.
Deft and sure hands found the breaker switch for the dryer and flipped it. Then the dryer door was opened and a fog of water soaked the clean, dry clothes within. The dryer vents were opened and inspected, as was the lint trap.
"Fire contained to the dryer," reported the Crewmember who had assigned themselves the duty of Fire Team #1 Leader.
It was just another drill. But drills build the skills for the day that it is real.
Welcome aboard the "25!"
This document is never to leave the Hull. Nor is it to be printed out. It, as with most of the ship's documentation and manuals, is a MOIST SECRET document. Your integrity and passion to defend California is unquestioned or you would not be aboard.
As an experienced LIDES Crewmember, you are of course familiar with how to work as part of a small group of expert sailors.
Now you are asked to work as a part of a far larger group of equally expert sailors.
A special note to Technical Specialists: if this is your first at-sea deployment, you have been asked to wear a TS brassard and to work closely with your assigned Mentor, an experienced Crewmember. We value your technical skills and want to get you fully qualified as soon as possible. Once you have earned your 'dolphin', or underwater combat qualifications, you will no longer wear the TS brassard. Meanwhile it is an essential safety item and you must wear it at any time you are not in your bunk. This is in part to prevent someone asking you to take on emergency tasks for which you are not qualified, such as deck and overside operations, securing watertight hatches, and fighting battery fires to name just a few.
The ship's station bill is especially important. It outlines the positions that each Crewmember, TS and Marine will take up during various events. This ship has several additional forms of Battle Stations in addition to those encountered on a LIDES hull.
Battle Stations, Air and Space Warfare. This is called when the Hull is asked to carry out her primary duty as an anti-missile and anti-satellite platform.
Battle Stations Strategic. This is frequently practiced. It is not the tradition on any Hull to carry out announced drills. All actions are potentially combat operations. Certain positions take precautions to prevent undesired or unauthorized launches. In particular, the term "ruby war shot" is never to be spoken unless authorized by the Duty Captain and two other Crewmembers in agreement. Deadly force is authorized.
Battle Stations Boarding Party. This is also frequently practiced. It is not anticipated that this Hull type will either execute a hostile boarding of enemy vessels, platforms or underwater bases; nor that this Hull will be boarded by enemy sailors or divers. However, two LIDES have boarded enemy surface ships in the past, and what we can do to others, we must be ready to defend against when it is done to us. Remember to follow all safety procedures with your issued and assigned weapons.
As this is a far larger Hull than any LIDES, it is imperative that you become thoroughly familiar with every part of the Hull as soon as possible. It is also important to follow the flow of movement throughout the vessel as indicated by the directional arrows. Note that this flow is different from the custom of the American Navy. Forward and up outboard; aft and down inboard; both with respect to the marked centerline; and 'up' and 'down' separations of companionways are also clearly marked.
There are no movement restrictions on this Hull, except that you do not enter the Conn without permission and never 'cut through' the Conn.
There are no distinctions of berthing or messing. The Duty Captain has a working station that includes a larger stateroom; the department heads and all other captain-qualified personnel have a combination stateroom-office; but we all use the same heads, eat the same chow and take the same Hollywood showers. As you may have on a LIDES, keep strictly in your mind the principles of equality and respect on which the California Naval Militia are founded.
It is expected that all TS will qualify as Crewmembers; that all Crewmembers will 'strike' or cross-qualify for all functions on the Hull; and that Qualified Crew will then strike for Captain qualification. Training is constant and rigorous. What you know and what you do may save or kill us all, and with us our entire state.
The permission of a second watchstander is always required to take an action that carries any chance of being detected outside the Hull. This includes sending a RF spectrum message or emitting radar, flooding tubes, generating power above certain thresholds, work that carries a chance of an acoustic transient, raising the periscope, bringing the Hull awash or fully on the surface, or leaving the Hull either while surfaced or underwater. You may have noticed that the Hull's toilet seats cannot be raised or lowered. This is not a joke. A LIDES killed an American submarine because we detected it due to a dropped toilet seat.
A few words about our armament:
This hull mounts eight tubes forward (1-8), sixty-four tubes amidships (9-72) and eight tubes aft (73-80). The fore and aft tubes are generally for self defense and loaded with a mix of conventional and red torpedoes and missiles. The amidships tubes are vertical launch systems each with individual hatches. Most can only be reloaded on the surface, but eight can be reloaded underwater and also double as escape tubes.
The sensor systems of this Hull are extremely powerful. While surfaced or awash, the sensor officer may choose or have to radiate at any moment. Exposed personnel will be killed but will also take hours to die.
This is the first CNM Hull to carry aircraft - fixed wing, rotary wing and dynamic lift (i.e. lighter than air). Unmanned craft must be controlled by tether or short range RF link, which carries obvious risks. Manned craft have more freedom of action but pose significant risks to the life of the pilot(s) if the tactical situation does not permit them either the craft or a downed pilot to be recovered.
This is not the first CNM Hull to be capable of towing and being towed, sending and receiving electrical power as well as data and commands through tethers.
This is not the first CNM Hull to be capable of laying and sweeping mines.
This is not the first CNM Hull to carry Marines and Bear Force personnel. However it is the the first to have berthing for over forty at a time without interfering with the other functions of the vessel. Treat them as Technical Specialists whose time and subject matter for participation in cross qualification is limited. At Battle Stations Boarding Party they will have special procedures and instructions that for Marines include the mounting and operation of crew-served weapons to defend the Hull at point blank.
Special weapons storage areas and reactor compartment are specifically 'on limits' to all embarked personnel unless specially designated otherwise by the Master at Arms. You will find these to be good places to study.
There are three health experts embarked - a Doctor, a Psyche and a Coach. All are cross-qualified but engage with each of the Crew (and each other) with respect to their specializations.
There are two heavily insulated 'privacy rooms' available for reservation. On duty uses such as prescriptions or working on portable equipment with heavy tools takes priority, but they are available for off duty use, alone or with one or two other persons.
You may have noticed that every nook, cranny and corner of the Hull is completely packed with food - much of it specially packaged to cut down on generated waste. All personnel assist in loading, moving and unloading as needed. Lift with your legs, not with your back. Avoid physical injury.
Do not under any circumstances keep any problem, issue or concern to yourself. Problems grow in isolation and shrink when shared. You will find that everyone on the ship has worked through numerous issues of all kinds, some of which may surprise you. "Serve in Silence" applies to information security outside the CNM, not to your performance as an integral part of this Crew. You will receive a lot of advice. Take it for what it may be worth. When you start getting asked for advice, speak freely but listen and take feedback.
This document is part of an extremely active Wiki and chat board which is itself a key information weapons system of this Hull. The forum moderators ask that you keep discussions topical to the forum and will move threads if necessary to keep forums on topic.
You prepared eight pre-determined, timed "wellness messages" to be sent to your family, as well as one "illness message" and one "departure message" only to be sent if you are seriously ill, badly hurt or perish. Subject to operational security measures, you may be able to send additional messages.
The amenities of this Hull are all larger in proportion, but require additional cooperation with each other to work smoothly. From mess hall to laundry, from berthing to armory, remember that something as simple as wiping the table after yourself, cleaning the dryer lint trap, changing your sheets a day early, or cleaning the brushes after cleaning your firearms, may have a great impact on your fellow Crew...
###
"Fire, fire, fire in the forward laundry."
The lights flared green and started pulsing. In swift, practiced motions, Crew started putting on masks and fume hoods and plugging into the ship's breathable air system. Others put on metallic fire jackets and shrugged into SCBA.
Hatches slammed all over the ship. Slammed was perhaps not the best term, as they were hydraulic and heavily rubberized. But they would still take your arm or leg off - just not cleanly.
"Conn, Sonar, contacts."
"No contacts."
"Diving officer, maintain your depth. Plot surfacing options."
To surface because of a fire would be a mission killer. To fail to surface when required would be an actual hard kill of the Hull and her Crew.
In the laundry, a Crewmember wearing red brassards on each arm was waving a sheet up and down. She was immediately hit with a fog stream of water and dropped the sheet.
Deft and sure hands found the breaker switch for the dryer and flipped it. Then the dryer door was opened and a fog of water soaked the clean, dry clothes within. The dryer vents were opened and inspected, as was the lint trap.
"Fire contained to the dryer," reported the Crewmember who had assigned themselves the duty of Fire Team #1 Leader.
It was just another drill. But drills build the skills for the day that it is real.
