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R 122150Z JAN 98  ZYB PSN 284754I30

FM COMCARGRU EIGHT

TO USDAO STOCKHOLM SW
USDAO WARSAW PL

INFO CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON UK//N3//N31/N313/N313A// COMBALTAP PHQ
ADMIRALDANFLEET
CINCGERFLEET

UNCLAS  //N03000//

SIC LGQ

MSGID/GENADMIN/COMCARGRU EIGHT/-/JAN//

SUBJ/U.S. BALTIC OPERATIONS 98 (BALTOP 98) PARTNERSHIP PHASE /SUBMARINE RELAXATION REQUEST//

REF/A/DOC/NAVY TACTICAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY/SEP1996//

AMPN/REF A IS EXTAC 1005 (REV A) EXERCISE MANUAL//
POC/LCDR KARL WINTERMEYER/COMCARGRU EIGHT/TEL:DSN 565-9632/COMM: 757-445-9632//

RMKS/1.THIS MSG PROVIDES A COMPLETE LISTING OF ALL PROPOSED SUBMARINE EXERCISE RELAXATIONS AVAILABLE FOR USE DURING BALTOPS 98 PHASE I. FROM THIS LIST A COMBINATION OF RELAXATIONS/RESTRICTIONS WILL BE CHOSEN IAW TRAINING GOALS OF EACH SPECIFIC EXERCISE SERIAL.   EACH NATIONAL SUBOPAUTH PARTICIPATING IN PHASE I IS REQUESTED TO REVIEW AND CONFIRM APPROVAL OF THIS REQUEST BY MESSAGE OR OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE NLT 31 JAN 98. APPROVAL IS REQUIRED PRIOR TO BALTOPS 98 (PHASE I) MAIN PLANNING CONFERENCE (MPC) IN ORDER TO DEVELOP EXERCISE SCENARIOS.

2. GENERAL RESTRICTIONS/RELAXATIONS FROM EXTACT 1005 SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL:
2*B - ASW SHIPS MAY CLOSE AND CARRY OUT SIMULATED ATTACKS AT ANY RANGE WITHOUT RESTRICTION IMMEDIATELY AFTER COMEX.
2D  - ASW SHIPS MAY FIRE PROJECTILES AT DIVED SUBMARINES, SUBJECT

TO PARA 0209.2A(7) OF EXTACT 1005.
2G  - AIRCRAFT MAY CARRY OUT NIGHT ATTACKS AGAINST SUBMARINES.
2*J - SUBMARINE IS NOT OBLIGED TO GO TO, OR TO REMAIN AT, SAFE DEPTH AFTER COMEX OR GO TIME.
2L  - SUBMARINES MAY FIRE GRENADES (FLARES), IN ADDITION TO
RED GRENADES (FLARES) IN EMERGENCY, PROVIDED IT IS ASSESSED THAT HELICOPTERS OR FIXED-WING AIRCRAFT WILL NOT BE ENDANGERED. (RED FLARES MAY BE LAUNCHED ANY TIME IN AN EMERGENCY) NOTE: ORP ORZEL WILL FIRE FLARES THAT REACH A HEIGHT OF 60 M ONLY.
3A  - SUBMARINES NEED NOT RETURN TO PERISCOPE DEPTH AFTER FINEX. 3*F - SUBMARINES ARE ALLOWED TO REMAIN SUBMERGED AT STOP TIME, PROVIDED THAT UWT OR RADIO COMMUNICATION IS ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE SUBMARINE AND SURFACE UNITS BEFORE THE SURFACE UNITS DEPART FROM THE SCENE OF  ACTION.
3*G - DURING THE TIME THE SUBMARINE IS COMING TO PERISCOPE DEPTH OR SURFACING, SHIPS MAY PROCEED AT LESS THAN 12 KTS, BUT MUST CAVITATE. 3*H - SUBMARINES ARE ALLOWED TO REMAIN SUBMERGED AT STOP TIME.
3*J - SURFACING METHOD BRAVO CAN BE USED AS A SURFACING METHOD. (SURFACING METHOD BRAVO SHALL BE BRIEFED BY THE OTC NLT PRE SAIL). 3*K - SUBMARINES MAY PROCEED FROM SAFE DEPTH TO PERISCOPE DEPTH WHEN IN COMPANY WITH SURFACE FORCES AT THE DISCRETION OF THE SUBMARINE'S COMMANDING OFFICER.
4*E -  ASW SHIPS MAY INVESTIGATE CONTACTS BY DAY OR NIGHT WITHOUT RESTRICTION.
7*C - ASW SHIPS MAY SLOW BELOW CAVITATION SPEED OR OPERATE RADIATED NOISE MASKING SYSTEMS, PROVIDED THEY TRANSMIT ON SONAR. (SURFACING METHODS ALPHA AND BRAVO SHALL BE BRIEFED BY THE OTC NLT PRE SAIL). 8*A(1500 YDS) -  SUBMARINES ARE TO PROCEED TO SAFE DEPTH WHEN NEAREST SHIP STREAMING VDS APPROACHES WITHIN 1500 YARDS AS INDICATED. (OPERATING PROCEDURES SHALL BE BRIEFED BY THE OTC NLT PRE SAIL). 8*B(15 M) -  SHIPS MAY EMPLOY VDS TO CABLE LENGTH 15 M FROM THE WATERLINE AND AS DELINEATED ABOVE (25 M IN DESIGNATED PORTION OF TUNA NORTH). (OPERATING PROCEDURES SHALL BE BRIEFED BY THE OTC PRIOR TO THE EXERCISE). VDS IS NOT ALLOWED WITHIN A 3 NM RADIUS OF 55-50N 019-25E (PORTION OF AREA WHALE).
8C -  SUBMARINES NEED NOT PROCEED TO SAFE DEPTH WHEN OPERATING WITH HELICOPTERS USING ACTIVE SONAR.  THEY MUST NOT, HOWEVER DELIBERATELY APPROACH TO WITHIN 500 YARDS OF ANY HELICOPTER IN THE DIP.
8D(15M) -  HELICOPTERS OPERATING DIPPING SONAR MAY LOWER TRANSDUCERS

TO A MAXIMUM DEPTH OF 15M AND AS DELINEATED ABOVE. VDS IS NOT ALLOWED WITHIN A 3 NM RADIUS OF 55-50N 019-25E (PORTION OF AREA WHALE).
8F - HELICOPTERS OPERATING DIPPING SONAR MAY LOWER TRANSDUCERS TO BEST SEARCH DEPTH IF ACCURATE SONAR SEARCH, CONDUCTED AT THE START OF EACH DIP WITH THE TRANSDUCER AT A DEPTH NO GREATER THAT 15 M, HAS NEGATIVE RESULTS.  TRANSDUCERS SHOULD BE RAISED TO THE ABOVE DEPTH
IF A CONTACT APPROACHES WITHIN 1000 YARDS.
8*G - AT FINEX OR STOP TIME, VDS CABLE LENGTH MUST NOT EXCEED 15 M. 10*A(MPA/HC) - AIRCRAFT MAY DROP EXPLOSIVE CHARGES BRIEFED AND APPROVED IN OPORD WITHIN 1000 YARDS OF THE ESTIMATED POSITION OF A SUBMARINE (OPERATING PROCEDURES SHALL BE BRIEFED BY OTC NLT PRE SAIL) 12*A(10M/15M) -  SUBMARINE HEIGHT (BASE OF KEEL TO TOP OF FIN) FOR FGS U-28 IS 10M. SUBMARINE HEIGHT FOR ORP ORZEL IS 15M. SUBMARINE HEIGHT FOR HSWMS HALSINGLAND IS 12M
12*B(11M)(15M WHEN VDS OPERATED) - DRAFT OF SURFACE SHIPS MAY BE ASSUMED TO BE 11 M (15 M WHEN VDS IS OPERATED, 25 M WITH VDS IN AREAS DESIGNATED ABOVE).
12*C -  UPPER VERTICAL SAFETY SEPARATION FOR FGS U-28 IS 10 M FOR A SPEED OF 7 KTS, 14 M FOR A SPEED OF 11 KTS AND 16 M FOR A SPEED OF 17 KTS. UPPER VERTICAL SAFETY SEPARATION FOR ORP ORZEL AND HSWMS HALSINGLAND IS 25 M.
12*D -  BOTTOM VERTICAL SAFETY SEPARATION FOR FGS U-28 IS 6 M FOR A SPEED OF 7 KTS, 8 M FOR A SPEED OF 11 KTS AND 16 M FOR A SPEED OF 17 KTS.  BOTTOM VERTICAL SAFETY SEPARATION FOR ORP ORZEL IS 25 M. BOTTOM VERTICAL SAFETY SEPARATION FOR HSWMS HALSINGLAND IS 10 M UP

TO 10 KNOTS AND 25 M GREATER THAN 10 KNOTS.
12*F -  SUBMARINES MAY BOTTOM WITHIN THE AREA BOUNDED BY THE FOLLOWING POINTS 5520N/01620E, 5520N/01700E, 5503N/01620E.  THIS INCLUDES PORTIONS OF TUNA NORTH, TUNA SOUTH, AND EXXON. 12*G(1NM) - HORIZONTAL SAFETY SEPARATION MODIFIED TO 1 MILE. 13*C -  SUBMARINES NOT EQUIPPED WITH SURFACE WARNING RADAR, OR
SUBMARINES WHICH HAVE DEFECTIVE SURFACE WARNING RADAR, MAY DIVE UNDER ALL CONDITIONS OF PERISCOPE VISIBILITY, DAY OR NIGHT.
22*C -  SUBMARINES MAY SNORKEL AT ALL TIMES.

3. CHANGING DEPTH FROM SAFE DEPTH TO PERISCOPE DEPTH
(THIS PARA WILL REPLACE THE ENTIRE SUB-PARA 0206-4 OF EXTAC 1005.)
A) SURFACING PROCEDURE ALFA.
SURFACING METHOD ALFA IS THE STANDARD METHOD FOR A SUBMARINE TO CHANGE DEPTH FROM SAFE DEPTH TO PERISCOPE DEPTH AT FINEX OR STOP TIME.  METHOD ALFA IS A CONTROLLED PROCEDURE FOR BRINGING SUBMARINES

TO PERISCOPE DEPTH AT FINEX OR STOP TIME, REQUIRING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE SHIP TASKED WITH THE PROCEDURE AND THE SUBMARINE.
B) CONDUCT OF THE SUBMARINE.
A SUBMARINE INTENDING TO COME TO PERISCOPE DEPTH (PD) FROM SAFE DEPTH WHEN SHIPS AND/OR HELICOPTERS ARE IN THE VICINITY IS TO CARRY OUT THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES UNLESS RELAXATIONS 3*K, 8*E AND /OR 9*F ARE IN FORCE:
I) TURN TO SAFETY COURSE
II) FIRE TWO YELLOW/WHITE PYROTECHNICS SIGNALS SPACED 3 MINUTES APART, USING SMOKE BY DAY AND LIGHT BY NIGHT. ON FIRING EACH SMOKE/LIGHT TRANSMIT "QQQ" BY UWT OR SST. (TABLE I)
III) UPON RECEIPT OF "DDD" AND /OR FIVE CHARGES, THE SUBMARINE RETURNS TO PD IF THE SUBMARINE CO IS SATISFIED THAT IS IT SAFE TO DO SO. ONCE AT PD, THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR AVOIDING COLLISION RESTS ENTIRELY WITH THE SUBMARINE CO.
IV) IF SIGNAL "JJJ," SIGNAL A3, AND/OR MK 84 CODE 2 ARE RECEIVED, REMAIN AT SAFE DEPTH. MARK POSITION UPON RECEIPT OF SIGNAL "QQQ" OR SIGNAL A2.  RESTART SURFACING PROCEDURES AFTER SIGNAL "PPP" IS RECEIVED
V) ONCE  AT PD , INFORM SURFACE UNITS THAT THE SUBMARINE IS AT PD. C) CONDUCT OF SHIPS AND HELICOPTERS
ALL ASW UNITS IN THE VICINITY OF A SUBMARINE KNOWN TO BE COMING TO PD ARE TO ACT AS FOLLOWS:
I) RAISE HELICOPTER SONAR SYSTEMS, DECOYS,  TO A DEPTH OF 30 M OR LESS, OR THE SHIPS DRAFT AUTHORISED BY RELAXATION 12*B.
RAISE VDS/DTAS TO A CABLE LENGTH NOT EXCEEDING 30 M OR THE CABLE LENGTH AUTHORIZED BY RELAXATION 8*G.
INFORM THE ASW UNIT ASSIGNED THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SURFACING THE SUBMARINE OF THE ACTUAL VDS/DTAS LENGTH AND DECOY , SONAR SYSTEM DEPTH.
II) TAKE STATION TO REMAIN A DISTANCE OF AT LEAST 1500 YARDS FROM THE SUBMARINE COURSE, IF KNOWN. STEER THE SAFETY COURSE OR ITS RECIPROCAL.
III) DURING THE ENTIRE TIME THAT THE SUBMARINE IS COMING TO PD, PROCEED ABOVE CAVITATION SPEED AT NOT LESS THAN 12 KNOTS. SECURE NOISE MASKER SYSTEMS AND SWITCH OFF OR RECOVER DECOYS. AT NIGHT, SHOW NAVIGATION LIGHTS AT FULL BRILLIANCE. IF THE SHIP MUST STOP DURING THE SURFACING PROCEDURE, IT IS TO TAP THE HULL, RUN ITS ECHO SOUNDER, AND GENERATE AS MUCH NOISE AS POSSIBLE UNTIL VOICE COMMUNICATION IS ESTABLISHED WITH THE SUBMARINE.
IV) SONARS
SHIPS FITTED WITH MEDIUM OR LONG RANGE SONAR SYSTEMS MAY TRANSMIT AT LOW POWER, PROVIDED UNDERWATER TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS CAN BE ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED.
SHIPS WITH VDS/DTAS STREAMED (RELAXATION 8*G) ARE TO APPLY THE FOLLOWING SPECIAL TRANSMITTING PROCEDURES
A) IF THEY HAVE A SHORT RANGE SONAR - NORMAL TRANSMISSION WATCH.
B) IF THEY HAVE MEDIUM OR LONG RANGE SONAR - NORMAL TRANSMISSION AT LOW POWER OR 3 TRANSMISSIONS EVERY 5 MINUTES IF REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN UWT COMMUNICATIONS. IF UWT COMMUNICATIONS CANNOT BE ESTABLISHED - NORMAL TRANSMISSION WATCH.
C) IF THEY CANNOT TRANSMIT WITH ANY OF THEIR SONAR SYSTEMS, TRANSMIT "VDS" ON UWT EVERY 5 MINUTES.
V) EXCEPT IN AN EMERGENCY, UNITS SHOULD NOT TRANSMIT ON UWT FROM THE TIME THE SUBMARINE ACKNOWLEDGES THE ALL-CLEAR-TO-SURFACE SIGNAL "DDD" UNTIL THE SUBMARINE IS AT PD. KEEP A SHARP LOOKOUT FOR THE SUBMARINE WHILE IT IS COMING TO PD. SHOULD THE SUBMARINE BE ON A COURSE OR IN A POSITION OTHER THAN ANTICIPATED, SHIPS SHOULD BE READY TO MOVE CLEAR OF THE SUBMARINE IMMEDIATELY.
D) CONDUCT OF ASW UNITS RESPONSIBLE FOR EXECUTING THE SURFACING PROCEDURE.
THE ASW UNIT ASSIGNED BY THE OTC/OCS WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BRINGING THE SUBMARINE UP TO PD, SHOULD IN ADDITION TO SUBPARA III: I) WARN UNITS WHICH ARE NOT COMPLYING WITH THE PRECEDING PROCEDURES II) MAINTAIN UWT LISTENING WATCH
III) EXCHANGE RANGE BY MARK - SNAP METHOD
(SEE DESCRIPTION OF -"VFM"- TABLE J)
IV) UPON SIGHTING THE FIRST PYROTECHNIC FROM THE SUBMARINE TRANSMIT "ROGER SMOKE, BEARING ..." ON UWT OR "QPQ" ON SST
V) UPON SIGHTING THE SECOND PYROTECHNIC FROM THE SUBMARINE, TRANSMIT "ROGER SMOKE, BEARING ..." ON UWT OR "QPQ" ON SST
VI) PASS A SURFACE SITUATION REPORT ON UWT
VII) INFORM THE SUBMARINE OF ANY SHIP IN THE VICINITY WHICH HAS VDS/DTAS STREAMED TO A GREATER DEPTH THAN ALLOWED DURING THE SURFACING PROCEDURE, AND OF THE DEPTH TO WHICH THE VDS/DTAS IS STREAMED. THIS MAY BE NECESSARY IF BAD WEATHER RESTRICTS THE RECOVERY OF VDS/DTAS
VIII) ONCE THE POSITION OF THE SUBMARINE HAS BEEN DEFINITELY ESTABLISHED AND IT IS SAFE FOR THE SUBMARINE TO COME TO PD IN THE NEXT 10 MINUTES, TRANSMIT "DDD" ON UWT OR SST OR SIGNAL A-5 (FIVE CHARGES) OR SIGNAL MK84 CODE 3, UNLESS RELAXATION 3*E IS IN FORCE. IF IT IS NOT SAFE FOR THE SUBMARINE TO COME TO THE PD, PASS "JJJ" ON UWT OR SST , SIGNAL A-3 (THREE CHARGES) OR SIGNAL MK84 CODE 2. IF IN ANY DOUBT THAT "JJJ" OR MK84 CODE 2 HAS BEEN RECEIVED BY THE SUBMARINE, THE SIGNAL A-3 MUST ALSO BE MADE.
IX) IF  "JJJ," SIGNAL A-3, OR SIGNAL MK84 CODE 2 HAVE BEEN MADE, THE ENTIRE SURFACING PROCEDURE MUST BE RESTARTED AS DESCRIBED BEFORE.
X) THE SURFACING PROCEDURE MAY BE CONSIDERED AS COMPLETED WHEN THE SUBMARINE HAS REPORTED THAT IT IS AT PD AND OPERATIONS NORMAL.
XI) IF NO COMMUNICATIONS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AT STOPTIME PLUS ONE HOUR, RETURN TO THE LAST KNOWN POSITION OF THE SUBMARINE, INITIATE A SEARCH, ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATIONS BY ALL MEANS POSSIBLE, AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS IN ATP-10(D).
E)  SURFACING METHOD BRAVO.
SURFACING METHOD BRAVO IS AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD FOR A SUBMARINE TO CHANGE FROM SAFE DEPTH TO PERISCOPE DEPTH AT FINEX OR STOP TIME.  IT IS ONLY TO BE USED WHEN RELAXATION 3*J IS AUTHORIZED FOR USE, AND WHEN ORDERED IN THE EXERCISE MESSAGE.  METHOD BRAVO ALLOWS THE SUBMARINES'S COMMANDING OFFICER TO BRING HIS SUBMARINE TO PERISCOPE DEPTH EXPEDITIOUSLY AND SAFELY UPON EXERCISE COMPLETION.  THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY SURFACE UNITS STEERING SAFETY COURSE OR ITS RECIPROCAL WHILE CAVITATING AND TRANSMITTING ON SONARS AND CLEARING THE IMMEDIATE AREA IN WHICH THE SUBMARINE WAS OPERATING (REGARDLESS OF THE SUBMARINE'S ESTIMATED POSITION AT FINEX OR STOP TIME).  WHEN RELAXATION 3*J IS IN FORCE, A SUBMARINE INTENDING TO COME TO PD FROM SAFE DEPTH WHEN SHIPS AND/OR HELOS ARE IN THE VICINITY, IS TO CARRY OUT THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES UNLESS RELAXATION 3*K AND/OR 8*E ARE IN FORCE.
F) CONDUCT OF THE SUBMARINE
I) TURN TO SAFETY COURSE
II) MAY FIRE PYROTECHNICS TO INDICATE POSITION; AND
III) WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO BY THE CO, RETURN TO PD AND CONTACT THE OTC/OCS ON  ALLOCATED UHF, HF OR VHF FREQUENCY .
G) CONDUCT OF SHIPS AND HELICOPTERS
ALL ASW UNITS IN THE VICINITY OF A SUBMARINE KNOWN TO BE COMING TO PD ARE TO ACT AS FOLLOWS:
I) RAISE HELICOPTER SONAR AND  DECOYS TO A DEPTH OF 30 M OR LESS OR

TO THE REDUCED SHIP'S DRAFT WHICH MAY BE AUTHORIZED BY RELAXATION 12*B. BEFORE FINEX OR STOP TIME, RAISE VDS/DTAS TO A CABLE LENGTH NOT EXCEEDING 30 M, OR THE CABLE LENGTH AUTHORIZED BY RELAXATION 8*G . II) ASSUME THE SAFETY COURSE OR RECIPROCAL, WHICHEVER COURSE OPENS FROM THE LAST KNOWN POSITION OF THE SUBMARINE. AT TIMES, IT MAY BE DESIRABLE FOR THE OTC/OCS TO ORDER SHIPS TO STEER EITHER THE SAFETY COURSE OR THE RECIPROCAL IF THE OCS WISHES TO KEEP THE FORMATION TOGETHER FOR SUBSEQUENT OPERATIONS. THIS SHOULD ONLY BE DONE IF THE SUBMARINE'S POSITION IS KNOWN AND ALL SHIPS ARE DISPLACED AT LEAST 1500 YARDS OFF THE SUBMARINE'S COURSE.
III) DURING THE ENTIRE TIME THAT THE SUBMARINE IS COMING TO PD, PROCEED ABOVE CAVITATION SPEED, BUT NOT LESS THAN 12 KNOTS. SEC