A naval gunfire call for fire is sent in how many transmissions?

• A. 2
• B. 3
• C. 1
• D. 4

Answer: (A)

In naval gunfire, the call for fire is sent as a pair of transmissions. The first message carries the essential mission data that lets the gun crews begin firing quickly—target designation or location, method of fire, ammunition type, and any initial firing instructions. Once the initial rounds are on target and spotting data comes back, a second message is sent to convey adjustments or to authorize fire for effect.

This two-part approach keeps the process fast from the moment the observer identifies the target, while still allowing precise refinement after initial observations. Using only one transmission would leave no separate space for adjustments, and adding more than two transmissions would slow the response and risk miscommunication.