SUBFACTS is a warning service providing information to mariners of planned or known submarine activity. Submarines may operate for the entire period, or part thereof, in each area notified.
Submarines on the surface will act strictly in accordance with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. Submarines at periscope depth will not close to less than 1500 yards from a fishing vessel unless express agreement has been obtained. Submarines on the surface and at periscope depth will maintain a constant radio listening watch on VHF Ch 16.
SUBFACTS covers planned or known activity off the west coast of Scotland and covers dived submarine activity and surfaced submarines with dived areas allocated. The exercise areas referred to in SUBFACTS are contained within this web site.
Owing to the increased number of standard areas that are active for dived submarine operations during Exercise
Joint Warrior (JW) the SXAs are grouped into larger NW/JMC SUBFACTS areas during these exercises only. More general details of the SXAs being used for
JW are promulgated in a
Notice to Fishermen published some weeks prior to each exercise. |
GUNFACTS is a warning service providing information to mariners of practice firing intentions by military units. This is an information service only and poses no restriction on the passage of any vessel. The onus on safety within the firing area always lies with the firing unit and/or relevant range control.
GUNFACTS covers planned or known gunnery activity for the Scottish Exercise areas, normally, but not exclusively, occurring in the permanently designated gunnery areas at Cape Wrath and the Clyde approaches.
Clyde, Belfast and Stornoway Coastguard broadcast SUBFACTS/GUNFACTS on frequencies and times as detailed in the table below. In addition, when gunnery serials are planned, GUNFACTS broadcasts will be broadcast twice daily at 0800 and 1400 local by a nominated “Duty Broadcast” ship. If, for any reason, this is not possible, broadcasts will be made at least 1 hour prior to firing. The Duty Broadcast ship will make a short preliminary call on VHF Ch 16 before transferring to the VHF broadcast channel appropriate to the area. |
