Officer in tactical command
Officer in Tactical Command (OTC) is a U.S. Navy term to designate the Naval officer in overall charge of a group of ships in a tactical formation, such as a task unit, task group, or task force.
In addition, ships traveling together on a specific mission, might have one of the commanding officers designated OTC. In some cases, when a commodore is on board one of the ships, the commodore most likely would be designated the OTC.
Purpose of the OTC
The purpose of the OTC is to provide authority and direction for actions the group is to take in case of emergency, such as storm, or combat action, and to communicate the result of any such action to higher Naval authority.
Limitation of authority
In port, under peaceful circumstances where there is no tactical situation, the Senior Officer Present Afloat (SOPA) replaces the need for a OTC.
Example of use
- See: USS Waupaca (AOG-46)
See also
References
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.