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