and operational information and conducting electronic warfare. Other tasks involve gathering and analyzing intelligence  information,  repairing  electronic equipment,  controlling  aircraft,  and  forecasting weather. The operations department is usually in charge of all the radar, sonar, and communications equipment on the ship. The combat information center (CIC) is part of the operations department. Supply Department The supply department has many responsibilities. Some of these are— Operating the general mess, including preparing and serving food. Operating  the  ship’s  store,  which  provides personal articles for the ship’s crew. Managing the clothing and small stores issue room, where crew members may buy uniform items. Maintaining the pay records of the crew (done by the disbursing office). Ordering and receiving general stores, supplies, spare parts, and equipment for the ship. In fact, just about everything that comes aboard the ship, other  than  people,  is  ordered  by  the  supply department. Engineering Department The engineering department, under the engineer officer,  is  responsible  for  the  operation,  care,  and maintenance of all propulsion and auxiliary machinery. It is responsible for the control of damage resulting from fire, explosion, collision, and so forth. The engineering department  provides  power,  light,  ventilation,  heat, refrigeration,  compressed  air,  and  freshwater throughout the ship. The engineer officer may have several assistants, such as the main propulsion assistant, the damage control assistant, and the electrical officer. Weapons/Deck/Combat Systems Department The  fifth  department  of  ship’s  administrative organization varies. Some of the departments are listed below. 1.  Surface combatants (ships) using ordnance (gun batteries, torpedoes, missiles, and so forth) have a  weapons department, headed by a weapons officer. 2.  Surface  combatants  (ships)  with  complex combat systems and some classes of submarines have combat systems departments, headed by combat systems officers. 3.  Ships with offensive capabilities unrelated to ordnance have a  deck department, headed by the first lieutenant. 4.  Aircraft carriers and some other ships have a weapons   or   combat systems department   in addition to a deck department. In ships that have a weapons department or combat systems department, the  weapons  or  combat systems officer  is responsible for— The  operation,  care,  and  maintenance  of  the ship’s armament and the weapons fire-control equipment. The care, handling, stowage, accountability, and issue of ammunition and pyrotechnics. The maintenance of magazines and the external security of the ship. If the ship doesn’t have an air department the weapons department is responsible for —The launch and recovery of assigned aircraft If the ship doesn’t have a deck department, the weapons department is responsible for —The  preservation  and  cleanliness  of  the external areas of the ship not assigned to other departments. —The  operation  of  the  paint,  sail,  and boatswains’  lockers  and  inspection  and maintenance of survival equipment. —All decking seamanship operations and the care and use of deck equipment. If the ship has a deck department but no weapons or combat systems department 6-8 Student Notes: