An Cosantóir

naval service guns | 17 sea. You can't leave them there as they are a navigation hazard: a large oil tanker or cargo ship would never see them. After obtaining permission from their owner we would have to sink them." While some of the weapons are the same, such as the Bofors L/70, naval gunnery is a lot different to the Artillery Corps. The training for firing at sea has to take into account that both the weapon platform and the target are likely to be moving. Consequently, some Naval Service weapons employ fire-control systems, adding to the complexity of the training. Gunnery training is conducted in the Gunnery Training Section, which is part of the Line Training School, Naval College. Gunners have to go through a number of sea gunnery (SG) courses, while sub-lieutenants undergo an officer gunnery course. "Recruits start off with a seven-week SG 3 course," CPO Hughes explained. "This qualifies them to work as a No 3 on the Bofors 40mm and as No 1 and No 2 on the secondary armaments, the Rheinmetall, the .5, and the GPMG." Gunners only progress to the next course, the SG 2, after a minimum of two years at sea. This course qualifies them as a leading gunner and No 1 on the Bofors 40mm and the 76mm Otto Melara. "The SG 2 also qualifies them as captain-of-the-turret on the Radamec fire-control system," L/Sea Michael Kelly said. "They monitor the system but can't see the target, that's left up to the firing officer on the bridge, so it takes a while to get used to." After another two years at sea they can undergo the SG 1 course, which qualifies them on the Bofors 57mm. Both the Otto Melara and the Bofors 57mm have gyro-stabilisers to allow the weapon to remain accurate at sea. For the other weapons, such as the Bofors L/70 and the secondary armaments, it's down to practise and experience. "In the gun bay we have simulators for the Bofors L/70, the Rhe- inmetall, and the HMG," CPO Hughes said. "On the SG 3 course we gradually introduce them to motion bit-by-bit and teach them how to train the gun onto target. They really don't get used to it, though, until they go to sea and gain experience." Each vessel has a gunnery officer on- board who is in overall charge of the weapons, both during an exercise and in a live boarding operation. The gun- nery course for officers is somewhat different than the gunnery crew. "The lieutenant's position during firing is on the bridge. They need to know how the guns operate and what the lead- ing gunner is doing at all times," said CPO Hughes. "We teach them what can go wrong and what generally does go wrong so they can to pass infor- mation on to the captain. If the call comes: 'Round is not in the chamber position, it is half-cocked and loaded!' the captain needs to know whether it's safe or not." Another challenge faced by the gun- nery crew is the salt and the sea. The leading gunner is responsible for the maintenance of all ordnance on board the vessel and on his courses learns the maintenance routines for all the weapons. A vessel cannot go on patrol if its weapons don't have a fit-for-firing certificate. The artificers in the Dock- yard inspect the weapons every three months, prior to issuing the certificates. "In winter the weather may be so bad that you may not even get to take the cover off the weapons for the first two weeks," said CPO Hughes, "so main- tenance can be tough. You might be lucky and get a week of good weather when you can get all your maintenance done." Everyone agreed that it is a constant battle with the salt, especially with the PVs, which only have a plastic cover over the Bofors and the spray still gets in. "They have to be continuously washed down, oiled and greased," L/ Sea Kelly continued, "but there's no alternative; the weapons have to be operational at all times." Naval gunnery is intense and de- manding. There is a lot of detail and a lot of responsibility goes with it. Where an army artillery piece generally uses up to five or six crew, the equiva- lent naval guns only use three. "The responsibility we put on our crews is tremendous," Lt Cahalane said. "Just take the 76mm Otto Melara. This is one of the most expensive and best assets in the Defence Forces and at the end of the day it is a Leading Seaman who is responsible for it. What has to be recognised is the amount of work and effort that has to go into main- taining and keeping them serviceable, especially in a maritime environment. There are electrics, gas, and oil in- volved in the guns' operation, it's a hugely complicated system, and we only have three artificers to look after the four of them when you're along- side. At sea it's all down to the leading hand." THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE

• Cover