Attack of the Seawolf

Mark On Top — Term used to note that a hostile aircraft is flying directly over the submarine. Generally means the submarine has been detected by the aircraft and will be under attack almost immediately. Usually followed by an expletive, i.e.”

“P-3 mark on top, dammit.”

Natural Circulation — Water flow through a reactor caused only by the heat of the core — hot water rises and cold sinks. Eliminates use of noisy main coolant pumps, allowing quieter operation.

NESTOR Secure Voice — A UHF radio-telephone communication system that encrypts a voice signal prior to transmission and de crypts it after reception. Can be transmitted to the satellite and beamed worldwide. Fast, secure means of communication.

New Kuomintang (NKMT) — A Chinese revolutionary group modeled after the unsuccessful faction of the 1940s. The NKMT, with Japanese support, is dedicated to the overthrow of the Chinese Communists.

NMCC (National Military Command Center) — A nerve center in the Pentagon where, in theory, orders would originate for fighting a nuclear war. Seasoned officers scoff at the idea that NMCC would survive the first ten minutes of a surprise decapitation assault.

Nukes — (1) Nuclear weapons. (2) Nuclear-trained officers and enlisted men.

OOD (Officer of the Deck) — Officer in tactical command of the ship, a sort of acting captain. Directs the motion of the ship, giving rudder, speed, and depth orders. Responsible for ship’s navigation, operation of the ship’s equipment, and employment of the ship’s weapons. Usually has the Deck and the Conn. Needs captain’s permission to do certain operations, such as go to periscope depth, start up the reactor, transmit active sonar or transmit radio, or launch a weapon. Done best while smoking a cigar and telling sea stories.

OP — Operation or mission.

OP AREA — A specific ocean area devoted to a particular exercise or operation. Some OP AREA are permanent, some are established only for one exercise.

OP REP 3 PINNACLE — Name of a message that is sent with FLASH priority to the White House and NMCC telling of a dire emergency requiring immediate action, such as an incoming nuclear assault.

Overhead — Nautical term for ceiling.

Ow-Sow — Pronunciation of ASWSOW, antisubmarine warfare standoff weapon.

PA. Circuit One — Shipwide Public Address announcing system.

PA. Circuit Two — Similar to PA. Circuit One, except that it only announces in the engineering spaces.

PA. Circuit Seven — Speaker announcing system used between the Conn, Maneuvering, the bridge, and the torpedo room.

Passive Sonar — Most common mode of employment of most submarine sonar systems. Sonar system is used only to listen, not to ping out active sonar beams, since pinging gives away a covert submarine’s presence. Use of passive sonar makes it difficult to determine a contact’s range, course, and speed (solution). TMA is the means of obtaining a solution when using passive sonar.

Patrol Quiet — Ship system’s lineup to ensure maximum quiet while allowing normal creature comforts such as cooking and movie watching. Maintenance on equipment is allowed, if it does not involve banging on the hull. Noisy operations are permitted only with the captain’s permission, such as reactor coolant discharge, steam generator blow downs etc.

PD (Periscope Depth) — An operation in which a ship comes shallow enough to see with the periscope. Certain operations can be done only at periscope depth by decree of the Submarine Standard Operating Procedures manual. Such items include steam generator blow down shooting trash from the TDU, and blowing sanitary. Some things can only be done at PD, including radio reception of satellite broadcasts, reception of a NAV SAT pass, and ESM activities. Slows the ship down since high speeds can rip off the periscope. Dangerous operation since quiet surface ships can get close without being detected by sonar.

Pilot — A person who has detailed knowledge and experience of a port and approach waterways. Taken on prior to entering or exiting port to serve as an advisor to the captain. A mixed blessing for ship captains, since a pilot’s mistake still gets the captain fired (the ship is the captain’s ultimate responsibility, not the pilot’s), while ignoring a pilot can also get a captain fired, especially if the ship runs aground.

Ping — An active sonar pulse.

P.L.A — People’s Liberation Army. The Chinese military, composing both the army and navy.

Polymer Injection — The injection of a polymer into the boundary layer of a submarine at the nose cone The slippery liquid reduces the skin friction of the ship, reducing the drag. The result is the ability to dramatically increase ship’s top speed for short periods of time. Ideal for torpedo evasion.

Poopy Suit — Underway uniform worn by American submariners. Usually cotton coveralls. Origin unknown, but probably refers to frequent occurrence of showers and laundry service being curtailed when rigged for ultra quiet or when the evaporator is broken, causing the coveralls to stink.