	Special Notice No. 9: FIRING PRACTICE AND EXERCISE AREAS



1.	Firing and bombing practices and Defence exercises, take place in a number of areas off the coasts of India.
        
2.    	Although  limits  of  practice  areas are not, in all cases, shown on charts and  descriptions  of  areas  do  not appear  in  the  Sailing  Directions,  these  are  given  in  the  Appendix  to  this  notice  which  may  be  plotted  on  the appropriate  charts.  Such  range beacons, lights and marking buoys as may be of assistance to the  mariner  or  targets which  might  be  a  danger to navigation will however, be indicated on navigational charts  and,  when  appropriate,  in Sailing  Directions. Lights will be mentioned in the List of Lights. Precautions to be observed by mariners are given in paragraph 6 to 9 of this notice.
        
3.    The principal types of practices carried out are:-
        
	(a)	Bombing practice from aircraft:-Warning signals are usually shown.

       	(b)	Air to air, and air to sea or ground firing.
        
 (i)	The former is carried out by aircraft at a large white or red sleeve, a winged target or flag towed by another aircraft moving on a steady course. The latter is carried out from aircraft at towed or stationary target on sea or land, the firing taking place to seaward in the case of those on land.

 (ii)	As a general rule, warning signals are shown when the targets are  stationary,  but  not  when towed targets are used.

 (iii)	All  marine  craft operating as range safety craft, target towers or  control  launches  for remote  controlled  targets  will  display for identification purposes,  while  in  or  in  the vicinity of the danger area, a large red flag at the masthead.
        
	(c)   	Anti-aircraft firing.
        
                  	(i)   	This  may  be  from  A.A. guns or machine guns at a target towed  by  aircraft  as  in  (b)above,  a  pilot less target aircraft, or at balloons or kites. Practice may  take  place  from shore batteries or ships.
                  	 (ii)   Warning signals, as a rule are shown from shore batteries. ships fly a red flag.

	(d)   	Firing from shore  batteries or ships at sea at fixed or floating  targets.  Warning  signals  usually shown as in (c).
        
         (e)   	Rocket and Guided Weapons firing.
        
 	(i)   	These may take the form of (b), (c) or (d) above. All such firing are  conducted  under (Air  and Sea) Range  procedure. Devices are   generally  incorporated   whereby the missiles  may be  destroyed should their flights be erratic.
	                  	
	(ii)   	Warning signals are usually shown as in (c) above.

4.    	Warning signals, when given, usually consist of red flags by day and red fixed or red flashing lights at night. The absence of any such signal cannot, however, be accepted as evidence that a practice area does not exist.  Warning signals are shown from shortly before practice commences until it ceases.

5.    	Ships   and  aircraft  carrying  out  night  exercises  may  illuminate  with  bright  coloured  flares.  To   avoid confusion with International distress signals red or orange flares will be used in emergency only.

6.	CAUTION: A vessel may be aware of the existence of a practice area from Navarea VIII warning messages, Coastal Warning messages, Local Notices to Mariners and by observing the warning signals or the practice.
        
7.    	The range authorities are responsible for ensuring that there is no risk of damage from falling projectiles, shell-splinters, bullets, etc., to any vessel which may be in a practice area.
        
8.    	If,  however,  a vessel finds herself in an area where practice is in progress, she should maintain  her  course and speed but; if she is prevented from doing this by the exigencies of navigation, it would assist the Range Authority if she  would  endeavour  to  clear the area at the earliest possible moment. Furthermore, if  projectiles  or  splinters  are observed to be falling near the vessel, all persons on board should take cover.
        
9.    	Fishermen operating in the vicinity of firing practice and exercise areas may occasionally bring unexploded missiles or portions of them to the surface in their nets or trawls. These objects may  be  dangerous  and  should  be treated  with  great  circumspection and jettisoned immediately, no attempt being made to tamper with  them  or  bring them back for inspection by Naval Authorities.
