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Operations Specialist (US Navy)
Encyclopedia
Operations Specialist is a United States Navy
occupational rating
.
rating. When the Radarman rating was split up to ET's
,OS's and EW's the rating badge continued to be used by the Operations Specialist. It symbolizes an Oscilloscope
.
(CIC) displays of strategic
and tactical
information, including various plotting boards and tables depicting position and movement of submarines, ships and aircraft as well as tote boards containing data relevant to the tactical picture. They operate surveillance
, tracking and height-finding radars, Identification Friend or Foe
(IFF) equipment, and computerized consoles and peripheral equipment that allows them interface with the Aegis
combat system. They operate encrypted and non-encrypted long and short range radiotelephone equipment as well as intraship communication systems.
With specialized training, they also may serve as combat air controllers for helicopters and fixed-wing supersonic
jet aircraft
in both anti-submarine (ASAC) and air intercept (AIC) roles, and serve as watch supervisors and section leaders. Operations Specialists assist in navigation through plotting and monitoring the ship's position using satellite and other electronic navigation resources as well as fixing the ship's position near landfall using radar imaging.
They interpret and evaluate presentations and tactical situations and make recommendations to the Commanding Officer (CO), CIC Watch Officer, Tactical Action Officer (TAO), Officer Of The Deck (OOD), or any of their commissioned officer surrogates during watch conditions. They apply a thorough knowledge of doctrine and procedures applicable to CIC operations contained in U. S. Navy Instructions and Allied or U.S. Navy Publications. Operations Specialists are responsible for maintaining the physical space of CIC
as well as performing minor planned maintenance care of the equipment they operate. A Secret
security clearance is required for this rating.
They provide to the command technical information and assistance related to Anti-Surface Warfare
, Anti-Air Warfare
, Anti-Submarine Warfare
, Amphibious Warfare
, Mine Warfare
, Naval Gunfire Support
, Search and Rescue
operations, radar
and dead reckoning
navigation, overt intelligence gathering and transmittal, and other matters pertaining to the Operations Specialist's area. They also have a working knowledge of protocols and procedures in Electronic Warfare
, though this area is normally covered by its own occupational rating.
The job of an Operations Specialist can be very intense and stressful while the ship is underway
. They need to be able to think quickly, drawing on a large reserve of tactical and procedural knowledge and be able make calculations on the fly in the fast-paced and information-saturated environment of naval combat operations.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
occupational rating
Naval rating
A Naval Rating is an enlisted member of a country's Navy, subordinate to Warrant Officers and Officers hence not conferred by commission or warrant...
.
Brief history
The rating started from the RadarmanRadarman
Radarman was a rating in the U.S. Navy during, and after, World War II. The following ratings existed during the war for male or female enlisted personnel training, or with training, in the operation and maintenance of radar sets:- Levels of Rating :...
rating. When the Radarman rating was split up to ET's
Electronics Technician
Electronics Technician is a common enlisted occupation in many Militaries. Common duties for ETs include repair, calibration, and basic maintenance of most electronic equipment.-US Navy:...
,OS's and EW's the rating badge continued to be used by the Operations Specialist. It symbolizes an Oscilloscope
Oscilloscope
An oscilloscope is a type of electronic test instrument that allows observation of constantly varying signal voltages, usually as a two-dimensional graph of one or more electrical potential differences using the vertical or 'Y' axis, plotted as a function of time,...
.
Description
Operations Specialists aboard U.S. Navy combat vessels work in the Combat Information Center (CIC) aka: Combat, the tactical "nerve center" of the ship. Using a wide variety of assets available to them, they are responsible for the organized collection, processing, display, competent evaluation and rapid dissemination of pertinent tactical combat information to command and control stations, upon which sound tactical decisions may be made. They maintain Combat Information CenterCombat Information Center
The Operations Room is the tactical center of a warship or AWAC aircraft providing processed information for command and control of the near battle space or 'area of operations'...
(CIC) displays of strategic
Strategy
Strategy, a word of military origin, refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. In military usage strategy is distinct from tactics, which are concerned with the conduct of an engagement, while strategy is concerned with how different engagements are linked...
and tactical
Military tactics
Military tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
information, including various plotting boards and tables depicting position and movement of submarines, ships and aircraft as well as tote boards containing data relevant to the tactical picture. They operate surveillance
Surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
, tracking and height-finding radars, Identification Friend or Foe
Identification friend or foe
In telecommunications, identification, friend or foe is an identification system designed for command and control. It is a system that enables military and national interrogation systems to identify aircraft, vehicles, or forces as friendly and to determine their bearing and range from the...
(IFF) equipment, and computerized consoles and peripheral equipment that allows them interface with the Aegis
Aegis
An aegis is a large collar or cape worn in ancient times to display the protection provided by a high religious authority or the holder of a protective shield signifying the same, such as a bag-like garment that contained a shield. Sometimes the garment and the shield are merged, with a small...
combat system. They operate encrypted and non-encrypted long and short range radiotelephone equipment as well as intraship communication systems.
With specialized training, they also may serve as combat air controllers for helicopters and fixed-wing supersonic
Supersonic
Supersonic speed is a rate of travel of an object that exceeds the speed of sound . For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C this speed is approximately 343 m/s, 1,125 ft/s, 768 mph or 1,235 km/h. Speeds greater than five times the speed of sound are often...
jet aircraft
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
in both anti-submarine (ASAC) and air intercept (AIC) roles, and serve as watch supervisors and section leaders. Operations Specialists assist in navigation through plotting and monitoring the ship's position using satellite and other electronic navigation resources as well as fixing the ship's position near landfall using radar imaging.
They interpret and evaluate presentations and tactical situations and make recommendations to the Commanding Officer (CO), CIC Watch Officer, Tactical Action Officer (TAO), Officer Of The Deck (OOD), or any of their commissioned officer surrogates during watch conditions. They apply a thorough knowledge of doctrine and procedures applicable to CIC operations contained in U. S. Navy Instructions and Allied or U.S. Navy Publications. Operations Specialists are responsible for maintaining the physical space of CIC
Combat Information Center
The Operations Room is the tactical center of a warship or AWAC aircraft providing processed information for command and control of the near battle space or 'area of operations'...
as well as performing minor planned maintenance care of the equipment they operate. A Secret
Classified information
Classified information is sensitive information to which access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of persons. A formal security clearance is required to handle classified documents or access classified data. The clearance process requires a satisfactory background investigation...
security clearance is required for this rating.
They provide to the command technical information and assistance related to Anti-Surface Warfare
Anti-Surface Warfare
Anti-surface warfare is a type of naval warfare directed against surface combatants. More generally, it is any weapons, sensors, or operations intended to attack or limit the effectiveness of an adversary's surface ships....
, Anti-Air Warfare
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
, Anti-Submarine Warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
, Amphibious Warfare
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
, Mine Warfare
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
, Naval Gunfire Support
Naval gunfire support
Naval gunfire support is the use of naval artillery to provide fire support for amphibious assault and other troops operating within their range. NGFS is one of a number of disciplines encompassed by the term Naval Fires...
, Search and Rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
operations, radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
and dead reckoning
Dead reckoning
In navigation, dead reckoning is the process of calculating one's current position by using a previously determined position, or fix, and advancing that position based upon known or estimated speeds over elapsed time, and course...
navigation, overt intelligence gathering and transmittal, and other matters pertaining to the Operations Specialist's area. They also have a working knowledge of protocols and procedures in Electronic Warfare
Electronic warfare
Electronic warfare refers to any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults via the spectrum. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponent the advantage of, and ensure friendly...
, though this area is normally covered by its own occupational rating.
Duties
The duties performed by Operations Specialists include:- operate a variety of computer-interfaced detection, tracking and height-finding radars
- plot a shipShipSince the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
's position, headingCourse (navigation)In navigation, a vehicle's course is the angle that the intended path of the vehicle makes with a fixed reference object . Typically course is measured in degrees from 0° clockwise to 360° in compass convention . Course is customarily expressed in three digits, using preliminary zeros if needed,...
, and speedSpeedIn kinematics, the speed of an object is the magnitude of its velocity ; it is thus a scalar quantity. The average speed of an object in an interval of time is the distance traveled by the object divided by the duration of the interval; the instantaneous speed is the limit of the average speed as...
, using computerized or manual trigonometric methods - maintain a tactical picture of the surrounding seas by plotting and maintaining a visual representation of ships, submarines and aircraft in the area, including friendly, neutral, hostile and civilian contacts
- use secure and non-secure radio in communicating, in plain voice or coded signals, with other air, sea or land units to coordinate tactical and combat evolutions
- operate common marine electronic navigation instruments including radarRadarRadar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
and satellite systems, plot own ship's position and movement on charts and make recommendations in navigation to the Officer Of The Deck - provide target plotting data to the Command and Control based on information received from target tracking devices
- make recommendations to Command and Control regarding tactical and combat procedures
- assist in coordination and control of landing craft during amphibious assaults
- communicate with spotters, plot and make calculations to adjust fire during Naval Gunfire Support missions
- coordinate and assist in plotting and ship maneuvers for emergency evolutions such as man overboard and other search and rescue (SAR) activities
- provide assisted and direct air control of combat aircraft in anti-air and anti-submarine warfare
See also
The job of an Operations Specialist can be very intense and stressful while the ship is underway
Underway
Underway, or Under Way is a nautical term describing the state of a vessel. A vessel is said to be underway if it meets the following criteria:* It is not aground* It is not at anchor...
. They need to be able to think quickly, drawing on a large reserve of tactical and procedural knowledge and be able make calculations on the fly in the fast-paced and information-saturated environment of naval combat operations.