Is old school navigation better than modern technology?

SSgt Alex Robinson — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 12:21:17 -0400

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11931403/US-navy-returns-to-celestial-navigation-amid-fears-of-computer-hack.html

US navy returns to celestial navigation amid fears of computer hack

US Navy recruits to learn how to navigate using the stars as America grows increasingly worried about possible hacking of computer navigation systems

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Oct 14 at 2015 12:23 PM

SCPO David Lockwood — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 12:23:42 -0400

I believe we still need to know old school just in case modern technology goes dow. We know that will never happen!

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2015 12:45 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 12:45:37 -0400

All available means but modern GPS is pretty awesome

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2015 12:48 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 12:48:11 -0400

During a real operation ... a backup system of another backup system is very very important.

Response by 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2015 1:43 PM

1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 13:43:41 -0400

The problem is that we discard the manual operations for automated ones, but then forget the muscle memory of the original task.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Oct 14 at 2015 3:44 PM

SN Greg Wright — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 15:44:24 -0400

SSgt Alex Robinson Wait, what? The Navy stopped teaching this? Anyone that goes to sea on a vessel without at least 2 or 3 people who can operate a sextant accurately is a fool. WHat the hell? Has the Navy removed itself too far from battle damage?

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Oct 14 at 2015 5:00 PM

LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 17:00:14 -0400

My big fear is the computer charting system. What happens when you're heading up the channel, and your computer crashes? You can't use the paper charts, because even if you have them, they aren't updated. So what do you navigate by?

An anecdote - when I was on Shenandoah AD44, we had the 56H repeaters, which had the automated CPA calculator. The JOOD would calculate CPA by "stacking dots". One day the system went down, so all we had was the Feruno. I told the Quartermaster of the Watch to get me a grease pencil and a popsicle stick, and I did scope-head plotting to help out. I was the Senior Watch Officer on the ship, and while a qualified SWO, I had not gone to SWOS. A LT (who did go to SWOS) asked me why I was writing on the radar. I could not believe that this officer didn't know about scope-head plotting.

Bottom line, when watchstanders are totally dependent on tech, and the tech crashes, where are you? (Literally - pun INTENDED).

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Oct 14 at 2015 5:14 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 17:14:03 -0400

Having a good sense of direction is always a useful skill as technology is not always reliable SSgt Alex Robinson :-)
I have amazed my wife sometimes by applying what I learned as an Infantryman and taught many others to do - use the sun, stars and terrain forms such as mountains an drivers to help you navigate with or without a map.

Response by PO3 Sherry Thornburg made Oct 14 at 2015 5:28 PM

PO3 Sherry Thornburg — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 17:28:50 -0400

To much dependence on technology is never a good thing. I think of all those ships stacked out in the Gulf waiting for the Houston Ship Channel to reopen after Hurricane Ike. Most of which had to deal with the storm at sea. How much damage did they suffer? How many antennas did they loose? How much seat of the pants navigation had to be relearned?

Response by SPC George Rudenko made Oct 14 at 2015 9:21 PM

SPC George Rudenko — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 21:21:41 -0400

May not be better, but it doesnt need a battery

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2015 11:10 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 14 Oct 2015 23:10:29 -0400

SSgt Alex Robinson we have become too reliant on technology, which while is convenient, is also fallible.

Response by SGT Jeremiah B. made Oct 15 at 2015 12:05 PM

SGT Jeremiah B. — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 12:05:14 -0400

Better? No. Invulnerable to outside attack? Absolutely. The military needs to spend more time training to fight in scenarios where all the fancy gadgets are gone.

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Oct 15 at 2015 12:22 PM

Cpl Jeff N. — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 12:22:36 -0400

All navigation should be taught and practiced the old fashioned way along with the technology route. Technology fails, batteries die, there are these things called EMP weapons and satellites can be knocked out of the air. You better know both or you could very quickly know nothing.

Response by PO2 Gerry Roberson Sr. made Oct 22 at 2015 10:14 PM

PO2 Gerry Roberson Sr. — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 22:14:55 -0400

What the hell took them so long? When I was in back in the late '70s, I said that modernization is fine, but don't throw away the old methods just because they're old. GPS was starting to be extolled. Solar flare blows out those satellites, what do you have left? Stars.