WEAPONS HANDLING PROCEDURES Airborne weapons handling evolutions (loading/unloading) introduce a degree of risk into shore based and carrier based operations. They require careful planning and preparation. The necessity to train for and conduct combat operations creates risks that cannot be avoided when explosive weapons are handled. Weapons Loading and Downloading The flight deck of an aircraft carrier is the preferred area to load or download an aircraft. Normally, the rearming area is adjacent to and aft of the island structure on the flight deck. When operationally necessary, however, the ship’s commanding officer (CO) may authorize loading or downloading on the ship’s bow while cyclic flight operations are in progress. Only a minimum quantity of weapons should be moved toward the ship’s bow. Loading limited amounts of weapons on the hangar deck may be authorized by the CO when operationally necessary. However, this adds an additional risk of fire because there is both fuel and explosives in a confined area. Only aircraft scheduled for the next launch or an alert condition are authorized for loading on the hangar deck. Authorization is also restricted to the particular weapons shown in table 14-1. According to the CV NATOPS Manual, fueling, loading and downloading weapons, and installing fuzes and arming wires simultaneously are authorized. However, you can’t load forward-firing ordnance that requires simultaneous and/or prior electrical connections for loading while aircraft fueling is in progress. Don’t make other electrical connections to weapons or remove/install impulse cartridges while aircraft are being fueled. Don’t position the fuel hoses under the weapons/stores being loaded/downloaded. When required, you may apply electrical power to the aircraft during a loading/downloading evolution. However, it should be held to a minimum, and it should be consistent with operational requirements. Don’t apply electrical power to the armament or weapon release-and-control circuitry while weapons are being loaded/downloaded. Conduct loading/downloading weapons and oxygen servicing (other than the converter replacement at the aircraft) as separate evolutions. Arming and Dearming Arm airborne weapons in the designated rearming area or the arming area. Generally, all weapons (except for forward-firing ordnance) are armed in the rearming area. This is done after engine turnup but before the aircraft is taxied. Weapons that are armed in the rearming area include retard/nonretard bombs, CBUs, and fire bombs. These arming functions are normally performed by the squadron’s ordnance loading crew. Aircraft loaded with forward-firing ordnance, such as aircraft guns, rockets, and missiles, are positioned in the arming area to arm the weapons. When the aircraft is located in the arming area, optimum safety is provided because the area directly in front of the aircraft is unobstructed by structures or personnel. Arming functions are normally performed by the carrier air wing (CVW) arm and dearm crew (or MAG personnel on LFORM class ships) in the arming area under the supervision of the CVW ordnance officer. The crew is composed of ordnancemen from each squadron within the CVW. They are cross-trained and certified to arm and dearm all types of aircraft aboard the ship. The crew members work in their respective squadrons except during actual aircraft launch and recovery operations. Airborne weapons are dearmed in the designated dearming area before or immediately after engine shutdown. All forward-firing ordnance is dearmed by the CVW arm and dearm crew before engine shutdown. All other ordnance is safed or dearmed by squadron ordnancemen in the dearming or rearming area after engine shutdown. When arming or dearming an aircraft, aircraft arming and safing signals (tables 14-2 and 14-3) are used when crew members perform the arm and dearm procedures. These signals are used by both the squadron and CVW arm and dearm crews. Arming or dearming aircraft is conducted only when the aircraft is at a complete stop, and control of the aircraft has been turned over to the arming crew supervisor. Hung or Unexpended Weapons The CVW aircraft dearming supervisor is always on the flight deck during recovery operations. By being there, he makes sure that the aircraft directors and the dearming crew coordinate their actions. The dearming supervisor tells the aircraft director which aircraft requires safing before it is taxied to the recovery spot. 14-2