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**R12_CV** · 15-03-11, 21:32

Quick one having read this months NN;

If the gun is the weapon, and the shell is the ordinance...

What is the torpedo? I'd have thought ordinance.

NN described a torp as a weapon.... is it scoop/journo error??

**Ballistic** · 15-03-11, 22:31

Originally Posted by R12_CV

Quick one having read this months NN;

If the gun is the weapon, and the shell is the ordinance...

What is the torpedo? I'd have thought ordinance.

NN described a torp as a weapon.... is it scoop/journo error??

Do you have a link?

An ordinance is a decree, or a religious rite

**Ballistic** · 15-03-11, 22:47

Whoops sorry R12, meant to put a winky smiley there.

Actually it's a good question. Being an Ordnance Engineering bloke I've had both guns and torpedoes under my care and they've both been referred to as weapons and ordnance.

**Waspie** · 15-03-11, 22:48

Ballistic is spot on.

Ordnance is the term for guns or mounted Canon according to The Oxford book of words!!!

**Drakey** · 16-03-11, 08:25

Originally Posted by R12_CV

Quick one having read this months NN;

If the gun is the weapon, and the shell is the ordinance...

Using that logic. The torpedo tube would be the weapon and the torpedo the ordnance.

**WreckerL** · 16-03-11, 13:47

Originally Posted by Drakey

Using that logic. The torpedo tube would be the weapon and the torpedo the ordnance.

Taking one stage further, the entire submarine would be the weapon as the tubes can't be removed from the boat and are an integral part of the construction, the fish/tomahawks/tridents the ordnance.

**Joe_Crow** · 16-03-11, 14:05

Last time I looked, it was the WSC, not the OSC.

**WreckerL** · 16-03-11, 14:28

Originally Posted by Joe_Crow

Last time I looked, it was the WSC, not the OSC.

It's also a weapons discharge tube not a torpedo tube but let's not confuse the surface world too much.

It's also "weapons readiness state" not "ordnance readiness state" to make it easier.

**Joe_Crow** · 16-03-11, 14:46

'Weapons Embarkation Hatch', 'Weapon onload', Weapon offload', 'Weapon in the water', 'Weapon active'.
'Ordnance Embarkation Hatch', 'Ordnance onload', Ordnance offload', 'Ordnance in the water', 'Ordnance active'.

**FlagWagger** · 16-03-11, 14:52

Originally Posted by Joe_Crow

'Weapons Embarkation Hatch', 'Weapon onload', Weapon offload', 'Weapon in the water', 'Weapon active'.
'Ordnance Embarkation Hatch', 'Ordnance onload', Ordnance offload', 'Ordnance in the water', 'Ordnance active'.

So Starboard crew use "Weapon" while Port Crew use "Ordnance"?

If it helps at all, my Dad was an old-school OA (Ordnance Artificer) who regular worked on the delivery systems... no doesn't help much other than to reinforce the view that Weapons and Ordnance are reasonably interchangeable.