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JOHN HARDING AND JAMES RIGNEY
3.
U.S. NAVY operational oceanography structure
Burnett et al. (2002) provides a comprehensive description of how the
U.S. Navy conducts operational oceanography with two production centers
and several geographically-distributed regional centers and detachments
associated with the various U.S. fleets around the world. In keeping with the
history of changing requirements and the necessity to provide ever more
user-focused, ocean information within the warfighter’s decision loop, this
geographic-centered approach began changing in late 2004 (Rear Admiral
Timothy McGee, Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography
Command (CNMOC), personal communication). From its former regional
product delivery structure, U.S. naval operational oceanography is now
transforming into a more centralized, efficient business model specifically
focused on nine warfare (or warfare-supporting) disciplines. These include
ASW, NSW, MIW, and Navigation, each with its own military program
director. The Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO), the primary
production center for Navy oceanographic products, is already structured by
technical discipline and matrixed by warfare area thus allowing it to readily
adapt to this new approach. This current structure is shown in figure 1.
Both short-term requests from naval warfighters as well as longer term
requirements, based on future anticipated warfighter needs, are coordinated
through the Plans, Programs, and Requirements Department, currently the
unifying node shown at the center of figure 1. NAVOCEANO warfare area
program managers currently within this department work with the CNMOC
warfare area directors to coordinate the specific warfighter requirements
with the remainder of the NAVOCEANO, discipline-focused departments.
The following description provides a brief synopsis of the various
department activities with more departmental detail available at
https://www.navo.navy.mil/pao/other/departments.htm.
From a GODAE-centric view, the Oceanography Department most
closely overlaps with GODAE-related activities by collecting and processing
real-time oceanographic data and assimilating these data into ocean
prediction models. This, however, is only a limited subset of the
department’s activities that will be related in more detail later. The
Hydrography Department primarily collects and processes both shallow
water and deep water bathymetry to support safety of navigation but also
provides the bathymetric data bases specifically required for ocean
prediction models. The Geophysics/Acoustics Department collects and
processes data on water column and bottom properties primarily related to
ASW and MIW and is therefore a consumer of the GODAE-related
oceanographic predictions from the Oceanography Department. The
Warfighting Support Center primarily engages in remotely-sensed imagery
analysis but also creates composite products, especially of use to NSW,
incorporating Oceanography Department data bases and model output. The
Ocean Projects Department collects and analyzes targeted environmental
JOHN HARDING AND JAMES RIGNEY
3.
U.S. NAVY operational oceanography structure
Burnett et al. (2002) provides a comprehensive description of how the
U.S. Navy conducts operational oceanography with two production centers
and several geographically-distributed regional centers and detachments
associated with the various U.S. fleets around the world. In keeping with the
history of changing requirements and the necessity to provide ever more
user-focused, ocean information within the warfighter’s decision loop, this
geographic-centered approach began changing in late 2004 (Rear Admiral
Timothy McGee, Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography
Command (CNMOC), personal communication). From its former regional
product delivery structure, U.S. naval operational oceanography is now
transforming into a more centralized, efficient business model specifically
focused on nine warfare (or warfare-supporting) disciplines. These include
ASW, NSW, MIW, and Navigation, each with its own military program
director. The Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO), the primary
production center for Navy oceanographic products, is already structured by
technical discipline and matrixed by warfare area thus allowing it to readily
adapt to this new approach. This current structure is shown in figure 1.
Both short-term requests from naval warfighters as well as longer term
requirements, based on future anticipated warfighter needs, are coordinated
through the Plans, Programs, and Requirements Department, currently the
unifying node shown at the center of figure 1. NAVOCEANO warfare area
program managers currently within this department work with the CNMOC
warfare area directors to coordinate the specific warfighter requirements
with the remainder of the NAVOCEANO, discipline-focused departments.
The following description provides a brief synopsis of the various
department activities with more departmental detail available at
https://www.navo.navy.mil/pao/other/departments.htm.
From a GODAE-centric view, the Oceanography Department most
closely overlaps with GODAE-related activities by collecting and processing
real-time oceanographic data and assimilating these data into ocean
prediction models. This, however, is only a limited subset of the
department’s activities that will be related in more detail later. The
Hydrography Department primarily collects and processes both shallow
water and deep water bathymetry to support safety of navigation but also
provides the bathymetric data bases specifically required for ocean
prediction models. The Geophysics/Acoustics Department collects and
processes data on water column and bottom properties primarily related to
ASW and MIW and is therefore a consumer of the GODAE-related
oceanographic predictions from the Oceanography Department. The
Warfighting Support Center primarily engages in remotely-sensed imagery
analysis but also creates composite products, especially of use to NSW,
incorporating Oceanography Department data bases and model output. The
Ocean Projects Department collects and analyzes targeted environmental