What is the primary purpose of ARPA?

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ARPA's primary function is to automatically track radar targets and display their courses, speeds, and predicted positions. It uses radar returns along with your own ship’s data to establish and continually update multiple target tracks, even as targets maneuver. It can compute closest point of approach and time to CPA and project target vectors to help you assess collision risk and plan safe maneuvers, reducing the need for manual plotting. This capability is all about tracking and forecasting movements on the radar display, not detecting submarines with sonar, measuring ocean depth, or broadcasting navigation warnings.