AUTHENTIC NAVY ALARM SOUNDS PAGE

Revised 3/27/2026

OK, I'm stumped. What are navy sounds doing on a police car page??

• This is my opportunity to let the world have some authentic samples from my sound collection (I.E. it's my space so I can use it how I want!!). I've acquired these sounds over the period of the last twenty + years or so via the Internet, actual samples from equipment, you name it. I get really steamed listening to some of these cheesy sounds that people try to pass off as "authentic", when you want something real you want something real!

• In order to make it to this page, the sounds have to be completely authentic (I.E. coming off the actual signal generator or oscillator card, or when the stack is not available a reproduction from an accurate signal generator matching the original specifications). This is as close to the real thing as being on the ship and pulling the contact maker yourself!! I am always looking for authentic navy alarm sounds, if you have any please drop me an EMAIL with a file attachment and I'll post them. If you can record clean sounds right off the "stack", those are VERY desirable!! As far as I am aware none of these sounds are copyrighted, all files should be in the public domain. If this is incorrect, let me know and I'll remove the file in question. Sources and author(s) for contributed files are credited when requested.

• All files are in WAV format, the link gives information on what the sound actually represents (I.E. Surface ship/submarine, IC stack type, type of alarm, vessel class if known). Some of my sources to establish the authenticity of these sounds are; "I.C. Electrician 2, NAVPERS 10556, 1955", "Device 12-NR-1a - Shipboard Calls and Commands, Office of Naval Research, May, 1950", "I.C. Electrician 3 & 2, NAVEDTRA 10558-B, 1974", Dynalec product brochure "Submarine Intercommunication System AN/WIC (Form AN/WIC, 0187-1500C) January, 1987", Navships 365-2879, "Technical Manual, Amplifier-Oscillator Group, AN/SIA-114B - 7 April 1965".

• The bell you are hearing on page entry is one of two ship's bells recovered from the USS Arizona (BB-39), sunk 7 DEC 1941 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in the opening moments of World War 2. Recorded on 7 DEC 2015 during the final survivor's reunion & memorial service at the University of Arizona. The other bell is on display at the USS Arizona memorial at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Let us never forget the sacrifices of all of our veterans made in protection of our country. Bravo Zulu.

• NOTE - 8/31/22 - I fixed a problem today with downloadable files being locked out for reason(s) unknown. If you experience a problem with a download please let me know.

• I've started a new second page for this section, which will be the technical information repository for videos, schematics, documents, etc... It's a work in progress, but you can check it out at Navy Alarm Sounds technical page
  
  

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  BRIEF UPDATE 3/27/26 - On direct orders from CNO (my wife!) I'm starting to liquidate out my extensive collectible repository located in my air-conditioned garage and a few other locations around the house. I'll be putting plenty of collectables up including submarine shallow & deep depth gauges, plane indicators, engine order telegraphs, alarm contact makers, rudder angle indicators, speed indicators, inclinometers, sound-powered phones, a surface ship Stable Vertical salvo firing key, even an early authentic Nuclear Submarine Bridge Suitcase!
  For those of you that may be interested, the EBAY search link to my items is........ HERE!
  
  For the video of the Benjamin H-9 Klaxon Diving Alarm & contact maker in action that I recently sold, go to this link: Benjamin Electric WW2 H-9 Diving Alarm
  
  

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  SURFACE SHIP

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  Surface ship - General Alarm - AN/SIA-114B (15-second loop)
  
  Surface ship - General Alarm (2nd version) - AN/SIA-114B
  
  Surface ship - Chemical Attack Alarm - AN/SIA-114B
  
  Surface ship - General Alarm (Old style) - IC/BMG stack (Stromberg)
  
  Surface ship - Main Battery Salvo Alarm (17MC) - MCG Stack
  
  Surface ship - Sonar Alarm (IC/BMG Stack) or Cease Fire Alarm (IC/MCG Stack using 17MC)
  
  Surface ship - Flight Crash Alarm - AN/SIA-114B Stack
  
  Surface ship - Flight Crash Alarm - DIAS Stack - USS Portland (LPD-27)
  
  Surface ship - General Quarters w/bugler for drill - Unknown stack - USS Ranger (CV-61)
  
  Surface ship - General Quarters w/bugler - Unknown stack - USS Coral Sea (CV-43)
  
  Surface ship - General Quarters sequence - AN/SIA-114B stack - USS Lockwood (FF-1064), Complete call to GQ for a drill.
  
  Surface Ship - General Alarm - USS Enterprise (CVN-65). Call to GQ for a general drill. Dynalec 1MC stack - Enterprise wasn't upgraded before decommissioning.
  
  Surface Ship - Flight Deck Warning Alarm - USS Enterprise (CVN-65). Complete call for a flight deck fire drill. Dynalec 1MC stack.
  
  Surface Ship - Flight Deck Warning Alarm - DIAS 1MC stack - USS New Orleans (LPD-18).
  
  Surface Ship - General Alarm - DIAS 1MC stack - USS Nimitz (CVN-68). Good, clean sound, complete call to General Quarters for a drill.
  
  Surface Ship - General Alarm - USS John Stennis (CVN-74). Complete call to GQ for a general drill. DIAS 1MC stack.
  
  Surface Ship - Action Stations Alarm - Canadian Navy - HMCS Winnipeg.
  
  Surface Ship - Action Stations Alarm - Canadian Navy - Halifax class Frigate. This is the actual sound file used from the new Leonardo SHINCOM 3100 system post mid-life refit.
  
  Surface Ship - Action Stations Alarm - Canadian Navy - Iroquois/Tribal class DD. Sound courtesy of Impressed (used with permission).
  
  Surface Ship - Action Stations Alarm - British Navy - HMS Illustrious. Aircraft carrier Action Stations Alarm. Note - this is from the Illustrious that was decommissioned in 2015.
  
  Surface ship - Collision Alarm - USS San Diego (AFS-6) - AN/SIA-114B
  
  Surface ship - All alarms - AN/SIA-114B (Dynalec) - USS Cole (DDG-67). Sound clip taken from re-commissioning video, all alarms in addition to a cowbell alarm for Mount 51 movement and sounding of ship's whistle.
  
  Surface ship - Alarm test during commissioning of USS George HW Bush (CVN-77), heard are various sounds of the new-style Collision Alarm, Chemical Alarm, Power Plant Casualty Alarm, and the Flight Crash alarm. This is the new generation 1MC stack, with the alarms sounding higher pitched then the older AN/SIA-114B stack. Also at the end of the clip is the ship's whistle sounding one blast.
  
  Surface Ship - Ship's whistle - USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77). Five-second blast of ship's whistle recorded during commissioning ceremony. Not sure which horn they used, probably either a Tyfon or Kahlenberg.
  
  Surface ship - Alarm test during commissioning of USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78). These alarms conform exactly to the NAVSEA alarm specification, not higher frequency like on the CVN-77.
  
  Surface ship - Emergency Alarm - USS Kidd (ex-DD661) - Steam Siren sound - mechanical/steam. Recorded March, 2018 for a Mount 51 test-fire warning.
  
  Surface ship - Emergency Alarm - test of an antique Star Brass steam siren - mechanical/steam. I have a lot of requests for this sound, this is the "WHOOP WHOOP" alerting sound heard in all the WW2 movies.
  
  

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  ABOUT THE CARRIER ALARMS....

  This is the "formula" for the alarm tones as found on CVN-68 to CVN-78 that use the next generation 1MC stack (the Dynalec DIAS). Why they went off the old NAVSEA standard is beyond me, but in order to have your tones sound the same as the stacks on these carriers you need to follow this formula. All tones are triangle waveform. From CVN-79 forward the alarms reverted to the old NAVSEA specification.
  • General alarm: 400hz decay tone, 520ms with repeat for 15 seconds (same as old standard).
  • Collision alarm: Three bursts of 1390hz, 50ms on/30ms off, 150 MS gap after 3rd tone.
  • Chemical alarm: Steady 1390hz tone.
  • Flight Crash: Bi-directional sweep tone from 1040hz to 2415hz & back, 1100ms interval for sweep.
  • Reactor casualty: Jump tone of 830hz to 1390hz (300ms of 830hz then 200ms of 1390hz), repeating with zero delay.

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  SUBMARINE

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  Submarine - General Alarm - Stromberg/Carlson IC/BGL-2S - USS Cavalla (SS-244)(15-second loop)
  
  Submarine - Collision Alarm - Stromberg/Carlson IC/BGL-2S - USS Cavalla (SS-244)(15-second loop)
  
  Submarine - General Alarm - Unknown Stack - Unknown WW2 fleet boat (15-second loop)
  
  Submarine - General Alarm - Unknown Stack - on-shore test stack. This was a stack used for film production and not aboard a submarine at the time of recording, although it was an authentic USN submarine Battle Announcing stack (35-second clip)
  
  Submarine - General Alarm - Unknown Stack - USS Ling (SS-297)(15-second loop)
  
  Submarine - General Alarm - RCA Battle Announcing System - USS Torsk (SS-423)(15-second loop)
  
  Submarine - General Alarm - AN/WIC-2 (Dynalec) - USS Dolphin (SS-555). DBF!
  
  Submarine - General Alarm - AN/SIA-113A (Stromberg/Carlson) - USS Trout (SS-566)(30-second loop)
  
  Submarine - General Alarm - AN/SIA-113A (Stromberg/Carlson) - USS Triton (SSRN-586). Sound clip taken from a US Navy promotional film that used the Triton for interior shots.
  
  Submarine - General Alarm - AN/WIC - Unknown 608 class FBM Submarine, GQ sequence for WSRT
  
  Submarine - General Alarm - AN/WIC - 616 class Submarine
  
  Submarine - General Alarm - AN/WIC - 640 class Submarine (15-second loop)
  
  Submarine - General Alarm - AN/WIC-2 - Unknown 688 class Submarine (15-second loop)
  
  Submarine - General Quarters sequence - AN/WIC-2 - Unknown 726 class (Ohio) FBM Submarine
  
  Submarine - General Alarm - AN/WIC-2 - Unknown 726 class Submarine (15-second file)
  
  Submarine - General Alarm - AN/WIC-2 - Unknown 726 class Submarine (NOTE - short file)
  
  Submarine - General Alarm - AN/WIC - Unknown 637 class Submarine
  
  Submarine - Action Stations Alarm - Unknown stack - Unknown British FBM Submarine
  
  Submarine - General Alarm - AN/WIC-2 - USS Rhode Island (SSBN-740) - call to GQ for a missile drill
  
  Submarine - Diving Alarm - Klaxon-style Federal Signal H-8 mechanical horn - Multiple class Submarine
  
  Submarine - Diving Alarm - Multiple Klaxon-style Federal Signal H-8 mechanical horns. (NOTE - this is what happens when you hit the diving alarm contactor on a fleet diesel submarine... no sound remotely like it. DBF!) - Multiple class Submarine
  
  Submarine - Diving Alarm - Federal Signal H-8 mechanical horn - USS Dolphin (SS-555). DBF!
  
  Submarine - Diving Alarm - AN/WIC-2 (Dynalec) - USS Dolphin (SS-555)(Electronic alarm). DBF!
  
  Submarine - Diving Alarm - Benjamin Electric H-9 mechanical horn (WW2 vintage). DBF!
  
  Submarine - Diving Sequence - Unknown 688 class Submarine diving (AN/WIC-2)
  
  Submarine - Diving Alarm - AN/WIC-2 - Unknown 688 or 726 class Submarine
  
  Submarine - Diving Alarm - AN/WIC-2 - Unknown 688 class Submarine
  
  Submarine - Diving Alarm - AN/WIC-2 - Unknown 688 or 726 class Submarine
  
  Submarine - Surfacing Sequence - AN/WIC - 640 class Submarine. This is an apparent edit (not by me - someone spliced 3 klaxon blasts after a 1MC surfacing command). I'm including this file because it has the authentic "cow's fart" AN/WIC diving alarm.
  
  Submarine - Diving sequence - PCU North Dakota (SSN-790).
  
  Submarine - Collision Alarm - AN/WIC-2 (Dynalec) - USS Dolphin (SS-555). DBF!
  
  Submarine - Collision Alarm - AN/WIC - 616 class Submarine
  
  Submarine - Collision Alarm - RCA Battle Announcing System - Fleet Submarine
  
  Submarine - Collision Alarm - AN/WIC-2/V - Unknown 726 class Submarine (NOTE - 30 second loop)
  
  Submarine - Collision Alarm - Unknown Stack - USS Ling (SS-297)(NOTE - This is an incomplete alarm, the author didn't hold the handle down through the entire alarm cycle when the sound was recorded)
  
  Submarine - Power Plant Casualty Alarm - AN/WIC-2 - 688 class Submarine
  
  Submarine - Power Plant Casualty Alarm - AN/WIC - 616 class Submarine
  
  Submarine - Missile Emergency Alarm - AN/WIC - 616 class Submarine
  
  Submarine - Missile Jettison Alarm - AN/WIC - 616 class Submarine
  
  Submarine - Power Plant Casualty Alarm - AN/WIC-2/V - 726 class Submarine
  
  Submarine - Missile Emergency Alarm - AN/WIC-2/V - 726 class Submarine
  
  Submarine - Missile Jettison Alarm - AN/WIC-2/V - 726 class Submarine
  
  Submarine - Alarm Testing - AN/WIC-2 - Unknown 688 class Submarine (NOTE - this was a test of all alarms for a news crew. I've edited some commentary out, basic content remains unchanged.)
  

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  SHIP/SUBMARINE INTERNAL SYSTEMS

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  Surface ship & Submarine - E3D2 Electronic Siren (Multiple purpose IC/SM switchboard indicating ALARM) NOTE - New type alarm typically used for flooding alarm or other type of emergency indications.
  
  Surface ship & Submarine - E3D2 Electronic Siren (Multiple purpose IC/SM switchboard indicating a power failure)
  
  Surface ship & Submarine - B1S4 bell (NOTE - older-type alarm typically used for flooding alarm or other type of emergency indications)
  
  Surface ship & Submarine - IC/D Growler (NOTE - used on sound-powered telephone stations navy-wide.)
  
  Surface ship & Submarine - B2S4 bell (NOTE - typically used for engineering alarm, high noise environments, etc...)
  
  Surface ship & Submarine - Leslie A-200 Marine Horn (NOTE - used for Ship's Horn/Whistle on all USN Nuclear Submarines and some smaller USN surface ships.)
  
  Surface ship - H2S4 mechanical siren. This siren is typically used in a number of applications, most notably After Steering on surface ships to signal emergency transfer of control, activated from a contact maker in the Pilothouse. Also used for missile/ASROC firing warning to clear the area around the mount.
  
  

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  GENERAL NAVY

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  General Navy - Admiral's March w/1 Ruffle & Flourish (used for greeting a Rear Admiral during formal ceremony)
  
  General Navy - Anchors Aweigh (Ceremonial Naval Anthem) - US Naval Academy Band
  
  General Navy - Anchors Aweigh (Ceremonial Naval Anthem) 1918 version - US Naval Academy Band
  
  General Navy - Anchors Aweigh (Ceremonial Naval Anthem) - US Navy Ceremonial Band (NOTE - recorded 4/21/07 for the launching of the USS North Carolina, the "POP" in the first two seconds of the file is the bottle of champaigne hitting the bow of the submarine... )
  
  

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  NASA - SPACE SHUTTLE & PROJECT APOLLO

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  Space Shuttle & Space Station Master Alarm - repro. to NASA standards
  
  Space Shuttle & Space Station Fire Warning siren - repro. to NASA standards
  
  Space Shuttle SM alert (minor alarm) - repro. to NASA standards
  
  Apollo Command Module (CM) and Lunar Excursion Modules (LEM) - Master Alarm - repro. to NASA standards
  
  NOTE - I threw these in because I had a request for the tones from someone and I had the files... thought they might be of some interest.

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  MISC. SOUND FILES

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  USAF REACT console - Minuteman III EAM alarm (this is the current tone that sounds when the National Command Authority sends an Emergency Action Message to the Minuteman silos, usually a test or exercise but if not.... NOT GOOD!)
  
  SAC Primary Alerting System - Minuteman I and II (this was the tone that sounded when the National Command Authority sent an Emergency Action Message to the Minuteman silos in the 1960's). Clip taken from an offical USAF Documentary film titled "SAC Command Post" produced in 1963.
  
  US Commercial passenger vessel - General Emergency Signal. This is what is sounded on a cruise ship or a cargo vessel to call crew to stations and to have passengers muster at lifeboat stations. 1800hz tone conforming to USCG standards.
  
  All commercial vessels - Automatic Alarm tone for 2182 khz. Old-time automatic distress activation alarm tone, now superseded by GMDSS.
  
  US Commercial passenger vessel - General Emergency Signal. A recording from a cruise I took in October, 2009. Conforming tone signal with USCG standards.
  
  US Commercial passenger vessel - Abandon Ship Signal. Another recording from a cruise I took in October, 2009. Conforming tone signal with USCG standards.
  
  
  

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  CONTACT MAKERS

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  • Contact makers are the heavy-duty switches which are activated to set off the various emergency alarms found on ships & submarines. They are also water-resistant (immersible to 15 feet without leakage) and guarded to prevent accidental activation. Some contact makers are painted distinctive colors for easy recognition. Along with this, the handles that activate critical contact makers are fashioned with special knobs (such as the "T-handle" for the power plant casualty alarm) that allow for the activation of the correct alarm in darkness by feel.
    

  • Please note that I'm always searching for contact makers for projects, you can see my Navy Alarm Sounds Technical page for more information. The link is at the top of this page.
    

  • I've listed the standard Navy contact makers below as of the 26 Nov 2002 DOD specifications (MIL-DTL-15743/16A-17A-18A). The list also gives you the DOD paint code for the exact color, and tells you what kind of knob is on the end of the contact maker.
    

    Alarm type	Color	Handle/knob
    Fire room emergency	Brass	Handle
    General Alarm	Red (21105) Surface Ship	Handle
    General Alarm	Yellow (23655) Submarine	Handle
    Intraturret alarm	Brass	Handle
    Flight deck warning	Brass	Handle
    Flight crash	Brass	Handle
    Chemical attack	Green (24260) Surface Ship	Handle
    Heavy machine gun cease fire circuit 4U	Brass	Handle
    Light machine gun cease fire circuit 5U	Brass	Handle
    Collision alarm	Yellow (23655) Surface ship	Star knob
    Collision alarm	Red (21105) Submaine	Star knob
    Diving alarm	Green (24260) Submarine	Square knob
    Sonar alarm	Yellow (23655) Surface ship	Handle
    Rocket & Torpedo warning	Brass	Handle
    Power plant alarm	White (27875) Surface Ship	T-knob
    Power plant alarm	Pink (21668) Submarine	T-knob
    Missile jettison alarm	Blue (25102) Submarine	Crown knob
    Missile emergency alarm	Orange (27246) Submarine	Crown knob
    Danger I.F.F. Destruct	Brass	Handle
    Whistle switch	Brass	Handle
    Cease Firing	Brass	Handle
    More feed	Brass	Handle
    Feed started	Brass	Handle
    Emergency feed started	Brass	Handle
    Start emergency feed	Brass	Handle
    Aircraft contact	Brass	Handle
    Blank	Brass	Handle

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