LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Discuss the importance of ordnance management and administration procedures.

You know that there is more to ordnance accountability than maintaining the ammunition ledger. You may find yourself in charge of several different types of ordnance, both ashore and at sea. Because of budgetary restraints or material availability and security, the Navy has to maintain very strict accountability on all ordnance material.

CAIMS REPORTING

The Conventional Ammunition Integrated Management System (CAIMS) is the automated data processing management information system for conventional ammunition. CAIMS is composed of large files that contain the various elements of data required for the worldwide management of the Navy's expendable non-nuclear ordnance. The data in these files is processed into reports and other outputs that are required by various ammunition logistic managers on Navy staffs and commands throughout the world. CAIMS is the single point of reference within the U.S. Navy for the worldwide status and visibility of the Navy's expendable non-nuclear ordnance data regardless of inventory management or ownership responsibilities.

Conventional ammunition includes bullets, projectiles, rockets, grenades, torpedoes, bombs, guided missiles, propellants, primers, fuses, detonators, charges of conventional explosives, and chemical or other materials excluding nuclear material. All component parts thereof must also be considered conventional ammunition.

The ordnance material specifically included by CAIMS is listed by the ordnance management cognizance symbols shown in table 13-3.

Worldwide ammunition asset and expenditure recording is accomplished through CAIMS by the use of a computer located at SPCC, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The computer uses a series of remote terminals via a secure network to disseminate data rapidly. Expansion of this telecommunications network is constantly ongoing. CAIMS users have continuously updated worldwide ammunition asset information

Table 13-3.-Ordnance Management Cognizant Symbols and Materials

available to them. If a ship anywhere in the world is ordered on a mission, CAIMS can be queried by remote terminal to determine the status of the ship's ammunition load out.

CAIMS data distribution is not limited to activities having a CAIMS terminal. Hard-cover listings, computer tapes, and microfiche reports are furnished to hundreds of activities having a need for this information.

Reporting into CAIMS is accomplished by two means: (1) TIR (Transaction Item Reporting) by AUTODIN (Automatic Digital Network) for CONUS activities according to SPCCINST P8010.12, Policy, Procedures, Responsibilities for Supply Management of Conventional Ammunition; and (2) message reporting for fleet activities according to CINCLANTFLTINST 8010.4/COMNAVLOGPACINST 8015.1. The validity of CAIMS data is directly related to the care and accuracy with which the various ships and activities report their data to SPCC.

SPCCINST P8010.12, as inferred by the title, provides policy, procedural, and responsibility guidelines for the supply management of conventional ordnance. While portions of this instruction apply primarily to CONUS shore activities, it also provides a considerable amount of information valuable to fleet users, such as ammunition definitions and codes, procedures for fleet retrograde of ammunition, requisitioning procedures, allowance list information, and procedures for manual stock recording for nonautomated activities.

Ammunition support received by the fleet is directly related to the Navy's ability to justify its ammunition budget requests. Since CAIMS data provides the basis for this justification, it should be noted that fleet support is related to the timeliness and accuracy of fleet transactions reported into the CAIMS. It should also be emphasized that the need for coordination and close cooperation between weapons and supply department personnel in ammunition management is a necessity if the CAIMS is to operate efficiently and correctly.

Activities report in the fleet format report on an "as occurring" basis via naval message. The data reported includes receipts, issues, combat expenditures, training expenditures, losses and gains by inventory, transfers out of the system, test and evaluation expenditures, and disposal. These activities also report serial and lot data for maintenance of the Master Serial/Lot Item File (MSF). Document numbers are reported for receipts from major shore activities to maintain the "in transit" files.

Naval weapon stations, naval air stations, and other ordnance activities ashore report by TIR on a daily basis. These activities use the full range of TIR transactions.