QUALIFICATION PREREQUISITES

the qualification period. Once qualified, the ship is expected to maintain its proficiency level throughout the qualification period. Frequent firing exercises are encouraged to maintain proficiency. Type commanders (TYCOMs) require that the basic NGFS team training course be completed when (1) 30 percent of the NGFS team (less gun-mount personnel) have been reassigned to other duties or permanently transferred, or (2) more than 90 days have passed since the last NGFS exercise was fired. NGFS qualification maybe terminated for any of the following reasons: When a ship is graded “unsatisfactory” for any NGFS exercise conducted for score. (This does not include exercises conducted as rehearsals or for proficiency training.) When a ship fires unsatisfactorily during a major exercise. When a ship commits a serious safety viola- tion at any time. QUALIFICATION PREREQUISITES Ships are required to routinely maintain a high state of material and gunnery readiness. As a result, the ships must comply with following prerequisites before conducting live firing exercises for NGFS qualification: All required gunnery and gunfire control planned maintenance system (PMS) must be current. All records of alignment checks must be pro- perly recorded in the smooth fire-control log. Formal team training, either at an NGFS trainer site or on board by an FTSC, must be com- pleted within 90 days before firing qualification exer- cises. All ships with the design capability of acqui- ring the radar beacon must successfully complete the radar beacon acquisition (RBA) exercise within 30 days of firing qualification exercises. In addition, other prerequisites may be required by the TYCOM. If so, refer to the appropriate TY- COM instructions. QUALIFICATION RULES NGFS qualification is based on the satisfactory completion of various elements and/or exercises. Both a numerical score and a grade of satisfactory or unsatisfactory are awarded. A score of 62.0 (60.0 SURFPAC) or higher is required for a satisfactory grade for each exercise or event. The final qualification score is the average of the last score attained in each of the required exercises or events. The final score must be at least 62.0. SURF- PAC allows a score of less than 60,0 on no more than one event, excluding the counter battery event, to qualify. Only one exercise may be fired by unqualified ships during each range visit. This ensures efficient range use and maintains high qualification standards. All subsequent exercises are fired for score. Exercises in progress maybe aborted because of foul range, ammunition malfunction, or equipment failure. Exercises may also be aborted to save time when, because of penalties or other point loss, the score will be unsatisfactory. During a range visit, a ship achieving a satisfac- tory grade on an exercise fired for score may not refire that exercise to improve its score until all other required exercises have been satisfactorily com- pleted. EXERCISE DOCUMENTATION TYCOMs and fleet commanders have specific data recording and reporting requirements for their exercises. Appropriate exercise manuals and appli- cable instructions identify the reporting requirements 5-5