"Vampire Inbound..."

[jason taylor]

A few days ago I was playing a nonserious game, to experiment with the controls. I was an Oliver Hazzard. At that time on a whim I got a sudden urge to blow something up-not uncommon in computer games, inappropriate to the subtleties of DanWat of course but not on this occasion. So I programed a series of Harpoons to come back at me. My radar operator kept saying "vampire inbound".
So I am wondering. Is "Vampire" simply a generic term for "approaching missile?" Or did my radarman(no doubt convulsed by fear at having to look death in the face for the first time) simply missidentify it? Is their really an actual class of missile called Vampire?

[Oberon]

Vampires refer to incoming missiles, I don't think there's a specific type of missile called a Vampire, but in general all inbound missiles are referred to as 'Vampires'. Possible because of the upturned 'V' shape that enemy missiles have on the NAV chart.

[Deadeye313]

missiles are long, sharp, painted white like teeth, and draw blood when they pierce your skin. I think it's a pretty good metaphor for the things and saying "Vampire" is a lot quicker to say than "Incoming Missile!!" and in the world of mach fast missiles, time is everything.

[LuftWolf]

Except of course when they are fired by the Iranian Undead Flotilla of Invincibility, as reported by CNN, the foremost experts in expletives used by american presidents and why western civilization is doomed to fail, in which case they are real vampires looking for the blood of your crew and the nearest NeoCon.

[shift-E]

Vampire is one of several "brevity code words" used to standardize communications firstly amongst DoD branches of service during joint operations, and later amongst our allies. The idea being that it would make our enemies, if they intercepted our comms, confused and hung up with the same types of questions you just asked..

By now, a lot of them no longer work to that end as they are unclassified to the degree that they show up in, well, commercially available naval simulations. But since they've become the standard, they've "stuck".

It is a lot easier -and faster- to say "Vampire" than to say "inbound hostile anti-ship missile."

[RedDevilCG]

You'll hear Vampire Inbound! for missiles that are targetted at other ships (ie NOT your ship) in your fleet (if you are doing fleet ops) as well. Makes you panic pretty bad until you see the missiles fly overtop of you and sink that carrier instead "Phew!"

[NeonSamurai]

Doesnt saying missle inbound take the same amout of time as vampire inbound?

Originally Posted by RedDevilCG

You'll hear Vampire Inbound! for missiles that are targetted at other ships (ie NOT your ship) in your fleet (if you are doing fleet ops) as well. Makes you panic pretty bad until you see the missiles fly overtop of you and sink that carrier instead "Phew!"

Hehe having your carrier get blown up is a good thing? Ya do know that frigates are considered expendable over a carrier right (and one of the jobs when screening for a battle group last i checked is to take hits for the big boys)

[SeaQueen]

Originally Posted by NeonSamurai

Hehe having your carrier get blown up is a good thing? Ya do know that frigates are considered expendable over a carrier right (and one of the jobs when screening for a battle group last i checked is to take hits for the big boys)

Ha! Spoken like someone on an aircraft carrier.

[NeonSamurai]

or the board of inquiry when you get back

[Oberon]

See, now this is why bubbleheads have the edge over skimmers, no-one's going to be launching ASMs at them, not unless the sub skipper failed primary school.

[Kazuaki Shimazaki II]

Originally Posted by Oberon

See, now this is why bubbleheads have the edge over skimmers, no-one's going to be launching ASMs at them, not unless the sub skipper failed primary school.

On the negative side, the bubblehead can be attacked with helicopters and antisub missiles, and he won't be able to shoot them down. He can try to dodge but really he depends very much on the enemy's poor placement giving him time to speed up and deploy decoys.

[RedDevilCG]

Heh, sorry, I didn't see the emoticon for "irony".

Anyways, I think it was Full Metal Jacket that said it best "Huh, better him than me."

[shift-E]

NeonSamurai said:
Doesnt saying missle inbound take the same amout of time as vampire inbound?

Yup, sure does. But what if it's a friendly missile ... say a TLAM or Harpoon. It sure wouldn't do to shoot down a friendly one of those with CIWS/RAM/NSSMS. Methinks the CO, CSO, FCO, FCC, and all other FC's involved in shooting down a friendly missile would have to start practicing a whole new set of brevity code words following such an action, such as "would you like fries with that?"

[Kapitan]

Think yourself lucky you heard it ! i went up against a sovremmenny and all i heard was VAM..... shes lost abandon ship

[Marcantilan]

Originally Posted by shift-E

It is a lot easier -and faster- to say "Vampire" than to say "inbound hostile anti-ship missile."

I think any inbound missile is hostile!

Radar: Missile inbound Sir, 30 miles off and closing fast. Should activate the CIWS?

Skipper: Nahh, it´s one of our missing Harpoons. Maybe went lost and it´s coming home to be fired again.

PS: No offense, just a joke.