I love going to work.... No day is never the same.....
Spent 24 years in the US Navy's Submarine Force.
I am a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, Redhat Linux System Engineer and a Cisco Network Engineer, along with a EE degree.
Retired from the Navy four years ago as a Chief Fire Control Technician and was hired on by Fleet Technical Support Center Atlantic (FTSCLANT). Now known as MidAtlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMC). Those in the service call us 'TechReps', but the job title is 'Submarine Combat Systems Electrical/Computer Engineer'. Our sections primary job it to go around the world to the boats (Submarines) to 'assist' the crew in repairing their systems. Seldom does "assist" come into play. Since the draw down, the Navy completely changed their training so 99% of the time, they don't have a clue, we have to do it... Not all their fault... but that is a topic for a different thread.
In addition to the 'TechAssists', we also remove and install new systems. This does two things. Allows the ships to be updated with newer technology and keep us Techs current on those new systems. You really don't know how something works until you have to take it apart and put it back together, and make it work. We have to ripout the old systems, then the shipyards and other entities do the mechanical installation (structural updates eg. welding, install new cabling, and piping for cooling water). After that is done we take the new equipment, disassemble it, load the pieces onboard, reassemble, then test and fix anything that does not work. Either the faults are something that just broke or a design issue... We call this 'on the deckplate systems integration and design'. If its a design issue, then we normally have to come up with a fix.
Not only are we the system experts on the Fire Control System, we have to know about all the other systems. The FCS is now the main data bus for all those other systems. eg. Sonar, Navigation, Radar, Periscope Data, ESM etc... The manta is: It's broke, must be a Fire Control problem. Then we have to go prove that the issue is their problem, and most of the time recommend a solution.....
There is way more to what we do, but that is the Readers Digest version.
Here are some pictures of my last install. All unclassified.... poor quality on purpose....
New consoles installed.
The big black console on the end is existing equipment called Command Launch Console. It talks to the Weapons Launch Equipment (WLE) in the Torpedo Room.
The server racks, called MultiFunction Servers (MFS's) . Both MFS-1 and 2. Both exactly the same for redunency and fallover.
For you techie's, there is Cat5, GigE over copper, 10Gig copper and fiber and copper cabling (Serial and NTDS) from each piece of equipment.
The torpedo room with part of the WLE on the right. Yes, thats a torpedo tube on the left.
The WLE, affectionately called the Wall Of Death. Because we are always working in the damn thing....
Thats the install side, here it the 'TechAssist' side. One of the WLE's drawers had a problem. After hours of highly technical trouble shooting, :roll: we found 45 burnt wires on the backplane. Had to fix it....
Took us three days to do it. Everything is wirewrapped, three layers deep... :sorcerer: All that damage, and it only took out two circuit cards. Amazing....
Fluff pictures. Wide shot of the torpedo room with a test shape.
Shot of the Control Room.
The Ballast Control Panel and part of the Ships Control station on the right.
Yes, there are seats for the crew, but have been removed for the maintenance period.
We also do all the Weapons Testing. Torpedoes and Tomahawks...
And of course a shot of the Zed in the parking lot.
In this job, I have been flown to, Bahrain, Dubi, Guam, Lisbon, Italy, Pearl Harbor, San Diego, New London CT., Kings Bay, Cocoa Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Seattle.
I know this post is a long one, but most don't get to see what their tax dollars do.....
Some call me a GEEK, You bet I am......
Ask any questions you want. You would be surprised what I can answer....
Liverpool
It'd also improve my bank balance if I did so I could get myself that zonda... (but keep the zed as well obviously!)
