Director ( military ) A director , also called an auxiliary predictor , is a mechanical or electronic computer that continuously calculates trigonometric firing solution s for use against a moving target , and transmits targeting data to direct the weapon firing crew . For warships . For warships of the 20th century , the director is part of the fire control system ; it passes information to the computer that calculates range and elevation for the guns . Typically , positions on the ship measured range and bearing of the target ; these instantaneous measurements are used to calculate rate of change values , and the computer ( " fire control table " in Royal Navy terms ) then predicts the correct firing solution , taking into account other parameters , such as wind direction , air temperature , and ballistic factors for the guns . On ships the director control towers for the main battery are placed high on the superstructure , where they have the best view . Anti - aircraft . For anti - aircraft use , directors are usually used in conjunction with other fire control equipment , such as height finder s or fire control radar s . Example . The Bofors 40 mm gun ( called a fire unit ) used in its anti - aircraft role has the M5 director for its fire - control system . The director is operated by a member of the range section who reports to the chief of section , who in turn reports to the platoon commander . The range section ' s leader is also called a range setter ; he guides the preparation of the director and generator for firing , verifies the orientation and synchronisation of the gun and the director , and supervises fire control using the M5 director ( or by the carriage when the M7 Weissight is used ) . The range section that uses the M5 director consists of the range setter , elevation tracker , azimuth tracker , power plant operator and telephone operator . The M5 director is used to determine or estimate the altitude or slant range of the aerial target . Two observers then track the aircraft through a pair of telescopes on opposite sides of the director . The trackers turn handwheels to keep the crosshairs of their respective telescope on the aircraft image . The rotation of the handwheels provides the director with data on the aircraft ' s change in elevation and change in azimuth in relation to the director . As the mechanisms inside the director respond to the rotation of the handwheels , a firing solution is mechanically calculated and continuously updated for as long as the target is tracked . Essentially , the director predicts future position based on the aircraft ' s present location and how it is moving . After their introduction , directors soon incorporated correction factors that could compensate for ballistic conditions such as air density , wind velocity and wind direction . If the director was not located near the gun sections , a correction for parallax error could also be entered to produce even more accurate firing direction calculations . Directors transmit three important calculated firing solutions to the anti - aircraft gun firing crew : the correct firing azimuth and quadrant elevation calculated to determine where exactly to aim the gun , and for guns that use ammunition with timed fuze s , the director also provides the flight time for the projectile so the fuze can be set to detonate in close proximity to the target . Early anti - aircraft artillery batteries located the directors in the middle of the position , with the firing sections ( guns ) located at the corners of the position . Before the introduction of radar s , searchlights were used in conjunction with directors to allow night target engagement .