Assistant Chief Operations Officer

The Chief Operations Officer cannot man the CIC at all times. Extra personnel are needed to relieve him and maintain ship operations. The Operations Officers are thus assistants to the Chief, fulfilling his/her duties when required, and assuming the Operations consoles if required at any time.
The Operations department is primarily responsible for the flow of communications and power in and around the ship.
The Assistant Chief Operations Officer is the second-in-command of the Operations Department, and can assume the role of Chief Operations Officer on a temporary or permanent basis if so needed.