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USS Iowa - Spot 1

Forward Main Battery Director (Spot 1). The forward Mk38 Director is situated on top of the fire control tower. The director is equipped with optical sights, optical Mark 45 Rangefinder, and a Mark 13 Fire Control Radar antenna.

The purpose of the director was to track the target's present bearing and range. This could be done optically by the men inside using the sights and Rangefinder, or electronically with the radar. The present position of the target was called the Line-Of-Sight (LOS), and it was continuously sent down to the Mk 8 Rangekeeper in the plotting room by Synchro transmitters.

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