At times, aircraft return to the ship with hung or
unexpended weapons. When this happens, the flight
leader advises cognizant personnel aboard ship of the
total quantity and type of hung or unexpended weapons
on aircraft in that flight. As each of these aircraft
approaches the ship, the air officer (air boss) announces
the model and type of weapon problem over the flight
deck announcing system.
After
landing
with
hung
weapons
and/or
forward-firing weapons, the aircraft is normally safed
after taxiing clear of the landing area. However, at the
discretion of the air officer, it may be safed in the
landing area. Aircraft returning with unexpended
weapons
should
be
safed
according
to
normal
procedures.
REVIEW NUMBER 1
Q1.
If you want to find information on aircraft
ordnance and ordnance accessories, you
should
refer
to
________________________.
Q2.
To what authority should you submit a change
to or request a deviation from a NATOPS
flight or tactical manual?
Q3.
What command resolves conflicts between
weapons/stores loading manuals and other
publications?
Q4.
NATOPS
manuals
are
issued
by
the
______________.
Q5.
At sea, the responsibility for dearming
forward-firing
ordnance
belongs
to
the
_______.
BOMB LOADING AND UNLOADING
PROCEDURES
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Identify the pro-
cedures used to load and unload bombs.
As an AO, you will load ammunition on many
different models of aircraft. However, the general
loading and unloading procedures for most aircraft are
similar. The procedures contained in this chapter don't
cover every step of weapon preparation and loading.
These procedures will give you basic information about
representative types of ordnance that you might load in
an operating squadron. The aircraft loading and
unloading procedures covered in this section are
general, and they are limited to aircraft bombs. When
loading practice bombs, you should handle them just
like live ordnance, and you must use the appropriate
checklist.
Before loading bombs onto an aircraft, you must
prepare and inspect the aircraft. Step-by-step pro-
cedures must be carefully followed. These procedures
are found in the applicable manuals.
AIRCRAFT PREPARATION AND INSPECTION
The first step you should take when loading bombs
onto parent racks and improved multiple ejector
racks/improved triple ejector racks (IMERS/ITERS) is
to make sure that the preloading release and control
checks have been performed. Then make sure the
aircraft is in the rearming area, and stations you are to
load are accessible. You need to make sure that the
aircraft is properly grounded.
NOTE: Electrical power may be applied to the
aircraft during loading/unloading evolutions,
but power is to be held to a minimum. The step
"if applicable, power removed" may be omitted
when operational requirements dictate that a
power requirement is necessary. However,
unless a step procedure in the checklist calls for
power, don't energize the armament circuits.
Remove power from the aircraft if the step
"power removed" is not preceded by "if
applicable."
If applicable, make sure that electrical power is
removed from the aircraft. Also, make sure the aircraft
is properly grounded. Ground the aircraft by using an
authorized ground cable connected to a certified ground
eyelet or a common static ground. Next, connect the
cable to an authorized ground receptacle or unpainted
surface of the aircraft. You should refer to Electrical
Grounding for Aircraft Safety, MIL-HDBK-247 (AS),
for further information on aircraft grounding.
Ensure, if applicable, that safety pins are installed
in all loaded parent racks, and verify that all cockpit
armament selectors are in the OFF or SAFE position.
Next, open the pylon access doors on all parent
stations to be loaded. Verify that the cartridges are
removed from the breech chambers and the auxiliary
release unit. Retract the sway braces to the full up
position, retract the ejector foot to the full up position,
and open all suspension hooks.
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