Special Notice No. 9

FIRING PRACTICE AND EXERCISE AREAS

1. Firing and bombing practices and Defence exercises, take place in a number of areas off the coasts of India.

2. Although limits of practice areas are not, in all cases, shown on charts and descriptions of areas do not appear in the Sailing Directions, these are given in the Appendix to this notice which may be plotted on the appropriate charts. Such range beacons, lights and marking buoys as may be of assistance to the mariner or targets which might be a danger to navigation will however, be indicated on navigational charts and, when appropriate, in Sailing
Directions. Lights will be mentioned in the List of Lights. Precautions to be observed by mariners are given in paragraph 6 to 9 of this notice.

3. The principal types of practices carried out are:-

(a) Bombing practice from aircraft:-Warning signals are usually shown.

(b) Air to air, and air to sea or ground firing.

(i) The former is carried out by aircraft at a large white or red sleeve, a winged target or flag towed by another aircraft moving on a steady course. The latter is carried out from aircraft at towed or stationary target on sea or land, the firing taking place to seaward in the case of those on land.

(ii) As a general rule, warning signals are shown when the targets are stationary, but not when towed targets are used.

(iii) All marine craft operating as range safety craft, target towers or control launches for remote controlled targets will display for identification purposes, while in or in the vicinity of the danger area, a large red flag at the masthead.

(c) Anti-aircraft (AA) firing.

(i) This may be from AA guns or machine guns at a target towed by aircraft as in (b) above, a remotely piloted aircraft, at balloons or kites, or pyrotechnic flares or illumination bombs, or on simulated virtual target. Practice may take place from ships and shore batteries.

(ii) Warning signals, as a rule are shown from shore batteries. Ships fly a red flag.

(d) Firing from shore batteries or ships at sea at fixed or floating targets. Warning signals are usually shown as in (c).

(e) Rocket and Guided Weapons firing.

(i) These may take the form of (b), (c) or (d) above. All such firing are conducted under (Air and Sea) Range procedure. Devices are generally incorporated whereby the missiles may be destroyed should their flights be erratic.

(ii) Warning signals are usually shown as in (c) above.

(f) Underwater Firings.

(i) These may be undertaken by ships, submarines or aircraft and may include firing of rockets, torpedoes, depth charges or other underwater weapons.

(ii) As a general rule, warning signals are shown when the firing is undertaken by ships. Ships fly a red flag and red flashing fixed light by night.

(iii) In case of the firings being undertaken by submarines/ aircraft, all marine craft operating in vicinity as range safety craft, target towing vessels, aircraft controlling ships or those in or in vicinity of danger area, will display, for
identification purpose a red flag at Masthead by day and red fixed/ flashing light by night”

4. Warning signals, when given, usually consist of red flags by day and red fixed or red flashing lights at night. The absence of any such signal cannot, however, be accepted as evidence that a practice area does not exist. Warning signals are shown from shortly before practice commences until it ceases.

5. Ships and aircraft carrying out night exercises may illuminate with bright coloured flares. To avoid confusion with International distress signals red or orange flares will be used in emergency only.

6. CAUTION: A vessel may be aware of the existence of a firing area from NAVAREA VIII warning messages, Coastal Warning messages, Local Notices to Mariners and by observing the warning signals or the practice.

7. The range authorities are responsible for ensuring that there is no risk of damage from falling projectiles, shell-splinters, bullets, etc., to any vessel which may be in a practice area.

8. If, however, a vessel finds herself in an area where practice is in progress, she should maintain her course and speed but; if she is prevented from doing this by the exigencies of navigation, it would assist the Range Authority if she would endeavour to clear the area at the earliest. Furthermore, if projectiles or splinters are observed to be falling near the vessel, all persons on board should take cover.

9. Fishermen operating in the vicinity of firing practice and exercise areas may occasionally bring unexploded missiles or portions of them to the surface in their nets or trawls. These objects may be dangerous and should be treated with great circumspection and jettisoned immediately, no attempt being made to tamper with them or bring them back for inspection by Naval Authorities.