 During an exercise planning session on 1 October 1992, the Battle Group commander, Rear Admiral Philip Dur, ordered that a simulated attack on nearby opposition forces use Sea Sparrow missiles.Sea Sparrow missiles, an anti-aircraft defensive system, was not part of existing doctrine for fighting surface targets and had not been used before, either in exercises or in live combat operations against surface targets.The order was accepted by the Operations staff with the notation that the missile system would be "simulated" (meaning the missile stations would be unmanned).