The control room is the nerve centre of the boat, from here it is controlled and systems are monitored. The two periscopes are the eyes, the largest is the powerful search periscope which is used when near the surface [snort or periscope depth] to visually check data that electronic monitoring has picked up. The other smaller one is the attack periscope its external dimensions are slimmer to reduce the telltale feather [spray] seen on the surface when a periscope is raised.

Visual bearings from here are transferred to the attack computer or plot , as is all sonar and radar information in order to program torpedoes. These days highly sophisticated electronic surveillance systems have the capabilities to detect and pinpoint potential targets at great distances. The most difficult task on a submerged submarine is navigation, satellite information is available on the surface or at periscope depth as is radar.

When submerged sonar is substituted for radar and the boats speed, direction are fed into an inertia guidance system to compute a estimated position from the last known fix. All this is backed up with traditional navigation aids and skills. Once upon a time it took three men to control direction and depth of the boat, these days it is done by one man in a similar way to an aeroplane with a multi axis control [OMC].

The master controls for the ballast tanks are here but also duplicated in a manual form at other positions. The officer watch panel is provided to help him monitor all the vital functions. With sonar,weapons and control systems in this area, everything a commanding officer and crew need are here to effectively operate the boat to its full and deadly potential.