Greg Sellers Bio

Event: All Member Chapter Meeting - Tuesday, Jan 26, 2016

The WDC Chapter System Safety Society held an All Member Chapter Meeting on Tuesday, January 26, 2016 starting at 5:00 PM in Conference Room 1A, at SAIC located at 16442 Commerce Dr # 100, VA 22485.

Abstract: Pointing and Firing Cutout (P&FCO) Mechanisms and Weapon Systems

Cutout mechanisms are devices installed on a shipboard weapon system to limit the movement or firing of naval ordnance in accordance with a predetermined cutout curve. They are utilized to ensure that the movement or firing of naval ordnance is not hazardous to ship structure, equipment or other naval ordnance. In general, each weapon system has a firing cutout mechanism and a pointing cutout mechanism unique to that particular system. P&FCO zones impact the placement of topside equipment and unauthorized equipment placement can result in unsafe firing zones. The scope of the P&FCO program includes the certification of 583 weapon systems on 151 ships.

Guest Speaker: Mr. Greg Sellers

Greg graduated in 1987 from the University of Maryland at College Park with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Greg’s first work experience after earning his degree was at the Naval Surface Warfare Center’s White Oak Laboratory (NSWC/WOL) in Silver Spring, MD. Responsibilities included performing temperature and humidity, shock, vibration, and pressure tests under the guidance of MIL-STD-810. In 1995, Greg moved to the Naval Surface Warfare Center’s Dahlgren Laboratory (NSWCDL) in Dahlgren, Virginia where he joined the Pointing and Firing Cut-Out (P&FCO) Group. Greg conducted P&FCO ship surveys for the purpose of designing and implementing firing zones. This experience allowed him to acquire knowledge of numerous Naval weapon systems, topside arrangement of antennas, and other shipboard equipment aboard all classes of surface combatants and amphibious ships. In 2012, Greg was selected as Group Leader for the Pointing and Firing Cutout (P&FCO) zone program in the Platform Systems Integration Safety Branch at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (now NSWCDL Code R43).