User:Diane yanumano/mfd

This page is a work in progress. Please contact the original author before making changes.

Introduction

Aim

The aim of this document is to provide an explanation of the operation of a mining fleet. Nothing in this guide is to be construed as representing the official position or policies of any entity, formal or informal, of the University.

Scope

The concepts describe herein are intended to guide and inform operators, leaders, and service support staff in the operation of mining fleets from 'rock to market'.

Nothing in this document should be taken to definitively constrain Fleet Bosses from developing their own standard operating procedures (SOPs) or to experiment with new doctrine concepts. However, care must always be taken with respect to the tactical and strategic situation.

Objectives

The objectives for this fleet doctrine are to

• • provide conceptual guidance for the formation and operation of mining fleets at all levels,
  • outline principles for the efficient and tactically sound operation of mining fleets, and
  • elucidate procedures which contribute tot he success of mining fleet operations.

Basis for Mining Fleets

General

Mining, essentially, consists of using one's skills and equipment to extract ore from asteroids and then transport that ore to the refinery.

The basis for the mining fleet is to provide for

• more efficient division of labour between mining and hauling,
• efficiency multiplication from pilots with specific skills and modules,
• security, and
• camaraderie.

Principles and Doctrine

The principles of conducting mining operations are the general principles of administration and logistics. Doctrine is the result of observation of mining fleets in action.

Doctrine

In preparing for any mining operation, the fleet boss must consider the following aspects of doctrine:

control, flexibility, mobility, conformity to the corporation's plan, continuity of the logistics chain, area of operations, ships and pilots, and security.

Control

The administrative and tactical control of the mining fleet rests in the hands of the Fleet Boss (FB).

In order to exercise control, communications are essential. Mumble and the use of squadron chats in addition to the fleet chat window are useful to this end.

In some cases, control can and should be decentralised to the smaller formations within the fleet. Planning for this, though, needs to be done carefully and in advance so that each sub-commander knows exactly what their role is to be.

Flexibility

An FB must be able to modify the plan at any point in the execution of the operation Flexibility can be obtained by

• detailed planning Gaining and losing fleet members unexpectedly, finding the belts not as expected, and the presence of pirates, for example, all need to be considered.
• preparation of alternative plans For instance, in the event that conditions in system change, alternative drop off/pick up points should be identified.
• provision of a reserve For instance, in the event that an operation is going to proceed over many hours, shifts of miners, haulers, and boosters can be drawn up ahead of time.
• centralised control at the appropriate level For instance, in very large scale operations (a very large fleet), it makes little sense to insist that the entire fleet remain in one system. However that will require detailed control of boosters and their movements to maximise the time when best boosts are available. Wings might be organised that have their own best boosts and be assigned to different systems.

Mobility

Mining fleets are by their very nature highly mobile. Stations are not and can be relied upon to be where they are expected to be. Routes for accessing the bests and removing the ore need to be clearly identified and FBs need to be intimately familiar with the jumps in the space in which they operate. In addition, FBs need to understand the various kinds of ships typically used in mining fleets work and how they are standardly equipped.

Conformity to the corporation's plan

Most mining operations takes place under the rules and regulations of a corporation. Those rules and regulations must be considered to be the context within which the mining operation is planned. For instance, if the rules and regulations of a particular corporation require that mining only be done in PvP fitted ships, in groups of four or more, without the benefit of corporation haulers, then this must fit into the FB's plan. The FB should attempt to anticipate the corporation's reaction to apparent loopholes in any corporation policy that affects mining operations and conform their plan to that reaction while persuing guidance from the corporation on the matters at issue.

Command and Control

Fleet Staff

Fleet Boss: the fleet boss is the administrative commander of the mining operation. The FB's role is to provide for the planning, oversight, command and control, fleet composition, execution, and followup for a mining operation. The FB also, typically, manages the haulers in the fleet. The FB has the responsibility to appoint a chain of command (second in command, third in command, etc.) in the event the FB disconnects or must leave the fleet before it is complete. The FB must designate a Tactical Commander in the event that the fleet comes under attacks. This person is typically the Fleet Boss him or herself or the commander of any security element attached to the fleet (see Security below).

Fleet Commander: the fleet commander (FC) fills the highest booster position in the fleet structure. The FC is usually the person in the fleet with the highest leadership skills.

Wing Commanders: wing commanders fills the second highest booster position in the fleet structure. WCs are chosen to provide middle structure for the fleet when it is a) widely distributed across belts/systems or b) when command skills in the fleet require the formation of multiple squadrons.

Squadron Commanders: squadron commanders fill the basic leadership position in the fleet structure. SCs are chosen not only to provide the structure for fleet boosters but also for command and control of the squadron members.

Fleet Roles

Miner: the fleet member who digs rocks.

Hauler: the fleet member who hauls rocks.

Booster: the fleet member assigned in the fleet window to provide boosts (e.g., Mining Foreman, Mining Director, Industrial Command Ships, Warfare Link Specialist, etc.) to the fleet

Scout: the scout's role is two-fold: a) develop reconnaissance regarding the state of asteroid belts in the operations area and b) provide overwatch on a star gate for war targets or other potential hostile ships.

Security: the security squadron, if one is available, provides overwatch on the fleet in order to provide a quick reaction to hostile actions taken against the fleet or to provide cover for the fleet to scatter, for instance.

Staff Work

The primary staff work while conducting mining fleet operations will be in maintaining a spreadsheet which details

• who was mining and when
• who was hauling and when
• how much of each type of ore was extracted
• what minerals the ore was refined into,
• for how much the refined product was sold, and
• the amounts paid out to each fleet participant as well as
• any other income (e.g., salvage) or expenditures (e.g., paid freighting to market).

All of this is the responsibility of the Fleet Boss. Maintenance of these records can be delegated, but the responsibility for accuracy and paying the participants rests in the FB.

Authors

Diane Yanumano

[[Category:]][[Category:]]