A target lock is achieved when a ship's sensors start tracking another object. Once "locked", the ship can perform a variety of actions on the object. This can include attacking with weapon systems, examining the ship with ship scanners, salvaging a wreck, and aiding with remote repair modules. A ship's sensors do not lock onto another object instantly. It can take from a couple seconds to over half a minute. The locking speed depends on several factors: A cloaking device will not activate if the ship has an active lock on it.