Fire Control Technicians (FT) — Navy enlisted ratings responsible for maintaining gun fire control systems, surface-to-air missile fire control systems, and associated radar and electronic systems — served aboard destroyers, cruisers, and frigates maintaining the weapons fire control systems providing the ship’s combat capability. FT ratings maintained Mk 37 and Mk 56 gun fire control systems, Mk 74 Tartar missile fire control systems, Mk 76 missile fire control systems, and the fire control radars and computer systems supporting surface combatant weapons engagement. Fire Control Technicians worked in dedicated fire control equipment rooms and below-decks weapons control spaces constructed within the ship’s hull, accessing and maintaining the complex analog and digital electronics systems of Cold War-era shipboard weapons fire control. FT ratings working in the fire control equipment rooms and weapons control spaces of Cold War-era surface combatants commissioned during the asbestos construction period accumulated background asbestos exposure from the asbestos-containing pipe insulation and construction materials present in the hull spaces where fire control equipment was installed.

Fire Control Equipment Space Construction Asbestos

FT ratings in below-decks fire control spaces accumulated background asbestos:

  • Fire control equipment room hull construction — the fire control equipment rooms, weapons control spaces, and gun director equipment spaces aboard Cold War-era destroyers and cruisers were constructed within the ship’s hull using construction materials consistent with the vessel’s construction period. Ships commissioned in the 1950s and 1960s incorporated asbestos-containing pipe insulation and construction materials in below-decks hull compartments, including the fire control equipment rooms where FT ratings performed weapons system maintenance. Fire Control Technicians spending long hours in ship’s fire control equipment spaces accumulated background asbestos exposure from the hull construction materials in the fire control room overhead and bulkheads throughout their shipboard assignments
  • Gun director and optical equipment spaces — the gun director spaces and optical equipment compartments in ships’ fire control systems were constructed within the hull using construction materials incorporating asbestos-containing insulation consistent with the vessel’s construction period. FT ratings maintaining director equipment in these below-decks director spaces accumulated background asbestos exposure from the hull construction materials

Fire Control System Component Asbestos

FT ratings maintaining fire control electronics encountered equipment material asbestos:

  • Fire control computer wiring insulation — the analog fire control computers, rate-aiding systems, and ballistic computers in Cold War-era shipboard fire control systems incorporated wiring insulation materials consistent with the electronic equipment manufacturing specifications of the Cold War production period. FT ratings performing computer maintenance and wiring repairs worked with electronic wiring assemblies incorporating insulation materials from the computer construction period
  • Radar transmitter and antenna drive wiring — the fire control radar transmitters and antenna train/elevation drive systems incorporated high-power wiring with insulation materials consistent with the radar equipment manufacturing specifications. FT ratings maintaining fire control radar transmitters and drive systems encountered component wiring insulation during radar maintenance

VA Claims for Fire Control Technician Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy surface combatant service. Fire Control Technicians who served aboard Cold War-era destroyers, cruisers, or frigates and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.