DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
2000
NAVY PENTAGON
W
ASHINGTON, DC 20350-2000
OPNAVINST 9070.2A
N9
12 Sep 2012
OPNAV INSTRUCTION 9070.2A
From: Chief of Naval Operations
Subj: SIGNATURE CONTROL POLICY FOR SHIPS AND CRAFT OF THE U.S.
NAVY
Ref: (a) OPNAVINST 9070.1
(b) OPNAVINST 4700.7L
(c) OPNAVINST C8950.2G (NOTAL)
(d) COMNAVSURFLANTINST/COMNAVSURFPACINST C9073.5 (NOTAL)
Encl: (1) Terminology
1. Purpose. To establish policy and assign responsibility for
incorporating signature control features in ships and craft, and
their systems.
2. Background. Congress enacted Public Law 95-485 on Navy
shipbuilding policy out of concern for the ability of combatant
forces to withstand battle damage. In response to that public
law, the Navy addressed vital elements of ship survivability in
separate directives. Reference (a) integrated the broad aspects
of survivability, which had previously been addressed by
individual instructions, into a comprehensive policy directive
for ships. In the context of providing fundamental design
guidance to enhance readiness and warfighting sustainability,
reference (a) identified signature reduction as one of several
required ship protection features. This instruction expands
upon the requirements for incorporating signature reduction and
control features in U.S. Navy ships and craft.
3. Cancellation. OPNAVINST 9070.2.
4. Discussion
a. For the purpose of this instruction, signatures are
defined as any attribute by which a ship or craft can be
detected by specific sensors. In most cases, these signatures
