Ford Instrument Company, located in Long Island City, New York, was the primary manufacturer of electro-mechanical analog fire control computers, gun directors, range finders, torpedo data computers (TDC), and associated fire control equipment for the United States Navy from the pre-WWII era through the early Cold War period. Ford Instrument supplied the Navy with the Mark 1 and Mark 1A Fire Control Computers installed in battleship and cruiser main battery fire control systems, Torpedo Data Computers for submarine torpedo fire control, stable element systems for gun director stabilization, and comprehensive gun fire control systems for destroyer and cruiser armament. Ford Instrument fire control computing equipment was installed throughout the fleet — in battleship fire control towers, cruiser main battery directors, destroyer gun fire control systems, and submarine conning towers — representing the Navy’s standard fire control computing platform across virtually every combatant ship class through the 1950s. Ford Instrument equipment housings and access cover joints incorporated asbestos-containing gasket materials in some equipment configurations, and the electrical insulation within Ford Instrument analog computing equipment used electrical insulating materials that in mid-century production incorporated asbestos-containing components in some internal wiring and coil assemblies.

Fire Control Computer Housing Gasket and Insulation Asbestos

Ford Instrument fire control equipment incorporated asbestos-containing materials:

  • Equipment housing access cover gaskets — Ford Instrument fire control computers and gun directors incorporated access cover and maintenance panel gaskets in equipment housing assemblies. Some Ford Instrument equipment housing cover joints used asbestos-containing compressed gasket or gasketing materials at the equipment housing joint faces, providing dust and moisture sealing on the precision mechanical computing equipment. Fire Control Technicians performing maintenance access to Ford Instrument computer internals removed and replaced housing cover gasket materials during equipment maintenance operations
  • Electrical wiring insulation materials — the extensive internal wiring of Ford Instrument analog fire control computers used electrical insulation materials that in mid-century manufacture incorporated asbestos-containing electrical insulating materials in some wire insulation and coil winding applications. Fire Control Technicians performing component-level maintenance and repair of Ford Instrument computers worked in proximity to and handled the asbestos-insulated internal wiring during maintenance operations on the dense internal wiring assemblies of the computing equipment
  • Synchro and resolver component insulation — Ford Instrument fire control computers and directors incorporated large numbers of electro-mechanical synchro transmitters and resolvers in the computing mechanism, with the synchro coil windings using electrical insulating materials that incorporated asbestos-containing components in mid-century production

Torpedo Data Computer Asbestos

Ford Instrument Torpedo Data Computers in Navy submarines incorporated asbestos:

  • TDC housing and component gaskets — Ford Instrument Torpedo Data Computers installed in WWII-era and early Cold War submarine conning towers used equipment housing gasket materials in access panel joints consistent with mid-century precision instrument construction. Submarine Fire Control Technicians performing TDC maintenance aboard submarines encountered gasket materials in TDC housing access joint assemblies during maintenance operations
  • Submarine conning tower equipment space — TDC equipment was installed in the submarine conning tower — an inherently confined space with multiple pieces of complex electronic and electro-mechanical equipment in close proximity. Maintenance personnel working in the conning tower on Ford Instrument fire control equipment worked in the confined conning tower environment where multiple pieces of equipment with asbestos-containing components were in close proximity

VA Claims for Veterans Exposed to Ford Instrument Products

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Navy vessels. Fire Control Technicians and Gunner’s Mates who maintained Ford Instrument fire control computers and directors in naval vessel combat system and fire control spaces and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.