Is Omega intended mainly for submarines?

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31981, 7 May 1969, Page 12

Is Omega intended mainly for submarines?

All. the standard documentation on Omega agrees that the • system can be used by submarines while submerged to antenna depths of about 30-50 feet, because V.L.F. (very low frequency) signals will penetrate sea water. Mr Wilkes says that according to “Electronics" magazine of August 9, 1965, the principal existing navigation system, Loran, “has serious limitations ... the signals cannot be used by submerged submarines,” and the Defence Department is therefore replacing it with Omega. But the article in “Electronics” lists several drawbacks in the existing system—such as the

fact it .covers only 15 per cent of the earth’s surface—and the problem of submarines is only the last one mentioned The article does not say, nor does it imply, that Omega is being developed particularly to overcome the problem faced by submarines. Mr Wilkes further quotes “Electronics” magazine of June 26, and July 10, 1967, as saying: “The Navy has already placed an order of $1.6 million for 140 Omega receivers to be .placed aboard submarines.” The Quakers likewise quote “Electronics” of July 10, 1967, as saying Nortronics had been awarded a $1.68 million contract for

supplying Qmega to submarines. In fact, “Electronics” did not say any such thing. In its June 26 issue,' it reported that the Navy was about to award a contract for 140 receivers, and made -no mention of submarines whatever. In its July 10 issue it reported the award of the contract to Nortronics and again made no mention of submarines.

These points are mentioned here merely as examples of distortion of source material. As will be seen in the next section, there is no doubt that Omega will be used in some submarines.