Teamwork South Participants Conduct Anti-Air Gunnery Exercise
Story Number: NNS030630-25
6/30/2003
By Lt. Cmdr. Kim Dixon, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Public Affairs
EASTERN PACIFIC (NNS) -- The loud retort of the 5-inch gun was heard, and felt, throughout the ship.
A puff of smoke was seen 15,000 yards in the distance. It was a hit! And it signaled the completion of a successful drone gunnery exercise (DRONEX/GUNEX) for USS O'Bannon (DD 987) and USS McInerney (FFG 8).
"This is what our FCs (fire controlmen) and GMs (gunner's mates) train for every week," said Fire Control Technician (SW) 2nd Class Christopher Basco, Weapons Control Officer on McInerney. "It doesn't matter if it's an exercise or real world operations. We perform our duties at an unmatched level."
The DRONEX/GUNEX was conducted June 17 as part of Teamwork South 2003, a three-week multinational exercise hosted by the Chilean Navy and executed in Chilean territorial waters.
Nearly 3,500 Sailors and airmen aboard 19 ships and 13 aircraft from Chile, the United States, France and the United Kingdom are taking part in the exercise that began June 12. The U.S. Navy forces participating in the exercise are under the operational command of Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command.
The DRONEX/GUNEX commenced with an aerial drone simulating an anti-ship missile threatening the 10-ship task force. A team from Fleet Air Composite Squadron (VC) 6 controlled the aerial drone, launching it from McInerney.
"The only difference between our drone and a real missile is that our drone doesn't have a warhead or explosive on it," said Aviation Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Macario Montes, a drone handler operating off McInerney. "We can make our drone do exactly the same maneuvers an enemy aircraft would do, or we can fly it low above the water to simulate a low-flying missile."
The surface force responded to the threat engaging the target missile with guns.
"Normally, we use a towed drone for guns," said Chief Fire Control Technician (SW) Harland Byrd aboard O'Bannon. "Using this drone, we got an actual engagement of a live target using air radar, and this allowed us to work with the foreign services to coordinate an air engagement."
"We took the target designations from the SWC and then verified the track," said Fire Control Technician 2nd Class (SW) Bryan Holmes, running O'Bannon's Control Officer Console. "Then, we sent the confirmation to the captain, and he came back with the order to fire."
"My job was to tell the guns where to go, to set the mounts to the proper bearing, and to give the firing orders," said Fire Control Technician 3rd Class (SW) Tiffany Pierce, O'Bannon Weapons Control Console operator for one of the 5-inch gun mounts. "Although unusual, this type of drone wasn't a challenge from my position. I just had to be sure to have the offset in and shot like at anything else."
For related news, visit the Commander U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/cusns.
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