The baseline distance for live-fire is 12 NM. Which of the following statements about units is true?

• A. Nautical Miles
• B. Miles
• C. Kilometers
• D. Leagues

Answer: (A)

Distances at sea are expressed in nautical miles because navigation and charting are built on Earth's geometry. A nautical mile is exactly 1,852 meters and equals one minute of latitude along any meridian, which keeps speed, distance, and position measurements consistent on charts. That’s why speeds are in knots (nautical miles per hour) and distances like a baseline for live-fire are given in nautical miles.

So the statement is true because it uses nautical miles specifically. The other units—statute miles, kilometers, and leagues—are not the standard for maritime navigation or naval baselines. For reference, 12 nautical miles is about 22.2 kilometers or about 13.8 statute miles.