NFCS: naval fire control system.

NFCS is becoming the Navy's key system to manage surface fires in littoral warfare. NFCS, technically the AN/SYQ-27, is bringing Navy surface combatants into the digital fires arena, enabling the concepts of the Marine Corps Operational Maneuver From the Sea (OMFS) and Ship-to-Objective Maneuver (STOM). These concepts are setting the standard for the naval combatant operations. They also are leading the way for buying advanced technologies to depict battle-space three dimensionally and develop a common operational picture (COP). The NFCS provides this COP while interfacing with the advanced FA tactical data system (AFATDS), among other systems. (See the figure.)

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Currently the US Navy Amphibious Fleet is redesigning the supporting arms coordination center (SACC) to incorporate NFCS and AFATDS as the fires management system and the command and control personal computer ([C.sup.2]PC) for decision making, providing a unified and coordinated command center with links to all other naval warfare components. This displays the COP and streamlines the decision-making process. Likewise, the Naval Surface Combatant Fleet has NFCS hardware and software that enables the ship commander to become an integrated member of this digitally defined three-dimensional battlespace.

NFCS is a variable message format-(VMF)-based system that manages naval fires for Arleigh Burke Class destroyers equipped with the MK-160 gun weapon system (GWS) using the 5- inch, 62-caliber gun. NFCS also works in concert with the Aegis combat system, enabling the addition of land-based targets to the COP.

NFCS is a two-monitor system that uses existing Tomahawk display equipment. The NFCS operator views the tactical picture on the upper monitor and the NFCS user interface on the lower monitor.

NFCS also supports the display of National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) digital mapping products. It develops the COP through multiple channels: surface and air tracks from the global command and control system-marine (GCCS-M), air tasking order (ATO) and air control order (ACO) from the Air Force theater battle management core system (TBMCS) and land tracks via the interface with AFATDS or directly from digitally equipped stations.

NFCS receives and processes calls-for-fire (CFFs) and orders to fire (OTFs) from all current Marine Corps fire support systems (MCFSS) fielded. Using NFCS decreases mission response times from 2.5 minutes for the first round shot to 30 to 45 seconds. Deconfliction for naval surface fire support (NSFS) requires assessing all environments (air, land and sea) before firing a weapon. Normally command information center (CIC) personnel deconflict each warfare environment to ensure that firing an NSFS weapon will not conflict with other air or surface assets being employed.

NFCS not only deconflicts all environments, but also alerts the operator and displays a three-dimensional view of the conflicting item. The NFCS operator can manipulate the view to better understand the situation before requesting re-coordination or denying the mission.

Tomahawk fire control personnel operate NFCS; being dual-hatted, the sailors must be proficient in both naval strike and littoral warfare duties.

NFCS is compatible with the current suite of equipment fielded to both the Marines and Army.

NFCS training is a three-week course that trains operators in the tactical operation and detailed maintenance of the system. This Land Attack Warfare Officers Course is one-week and focuses on integrating Navy littoral warfare into current operations.

The Naval Surface Warfare Command (NSWC), Dahlgren Division, in Dahlgren, Virginia, is developing NFCS under the sponsorship of the Program Executive Office for Integrated Warfare Systems in Washington, DC.

FSCM            Stores and displays all permissive and restrictive
                measures; provides a three-dimensional view of
                deconfliction problems for operator resolution; and
                complies with FM 101-5 Operational Terms and Symbols
                (MIL-STD-2525B graphics).
ATO/ACO         Receives ATO/ACO from TBMCS; and parses, displays and
                deconflicts against all current geometries.
Met Messages    Receives Met data over VMF channels or through the
                GCCS-M interface and stores and processes the Met data.
Weapons         Manages all 5-inch projectiles, accounting for the
Inventory       magazine, NSFS allocated amounts, critical and warning
                levels, and decrements of weapons used during other
                warfare.
Observers/      Stores and displays up to 100 friendly units and
Friendly Units  complies with FM 101-5 (MIL-STD-2525B graphics).
Targets         Stores up to 5,000 targets and an unlimited target list
                (has no targeting capability).
Fire Missions   Stores and manages 60 active missions; the GWS may store
                up to 20 active missions but fires one mission at a
                time.
Fire Plans      Develops and stores 10 fire plans, each covering a
                timeframe of 480 minutes.
Communications  Is VHF/HF/SATCOMS/ADNS LAN-capable and supports 100
                TACLINK subscribers and unlimited ADNS LAN subscribers.
Command Data    Stores directives and ship instructions and processes
                them against decision-making algorithms; allows the
                operator to automate multiple decision points based on
                the current engagement.
System          Continuously monitors and displays the status of the
Monitoring      NFCS rack, GWS, GCCS-M and ADNS server.
Embedded        Supports standalone or team training; supports
Training        developing training scripts for use in either training
                mode; and, in the training mode, maintains live GCCC-M,
                simulates 100 stations and supports VMF or TACFIRE
                devices.

Legend:
ACO = Air Control Order
ADNS = Automated Digital Networking System
ATO = Air Tasking Order
GCCS-M = Global Command and Control System-Marine
GWS = Gun Weapon System
HF = High Frequency
FSCM = Fire Support Coordination Measures
LAN = Local Area Network
Met = Meteorological
NSFS = Naval Surface Fire Support
SATCOMS = Satellite Communications
TACFIRE = Tactical Fire Direction System
TACLINK = Tactical Communications Link
TBMCS = Theater Battle Management Core System
VHF = Variable High Frequency
VMF = Variable Message Format

Naval Fire Control System (NFCS) Capabilities

By Master Sergeant (Retired) Gregory T. Kollar, USMC

Master Sergeant (Retired) Gregory T. Kollar, USMC, is a Land Attack Warfare Analyst serving as a Naval Fire Control System Instructor at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Virginia. He is employed with BAE Systems. In his last military assignment, he was the Senior Instructor for Marine Corps Fire Support Systems at the Marine Corps Detachment, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, from 1996 to 2000 when he retired. Among other assignments, Master Sergeant Kollar was the Battalion Operations Chief for the 1st Battalion, 14th Marines, at Alameta, California. He also has worked with the 10th, 11th and 12th Marines.