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A. The Digital Nautical Chart Production Program 



The U.S. Navy has identified, and DMA has agreed to 

 satisfy, a requirement for a new digital product to be used for 

 shipboard tactical navigation. Operational requirements for 

 this new product, called the Digital Nautical Chart (DNC) , will 

 begin in 1994. The goal of this program is to provide a 

 digital replacement for the paper nautical chart by the year 

 2000. The DNC contains data that is functionally equivalent to 

 current harbor, approach, coastal, and general nautical paper 

 charts. Estimated total DoD-required coverage, equivalent to 

 approximately 4,000 paper charts, will be issued on Compact 

 Discs. NOS's C&GS has agreed, with partial DMA funding 

 support, to satisfy the Navy requirement for DNC's within their 

 area of responsibility. Equipment and processes for the 

 production of DNC's, where feasible, are being jointly 

 developed by our two agencies. This cooperation, which is very 

 important to us, will also benefit C&GS by accelerating their 

 own production of digital charts for the civil mariner. The 

 DNC may also aid scientific research by serving as a display 

 base of the coastal region in Geographic Information Systems, 



B. The Defense Hydrographic Initiative 



DoD and civil maritime and scientific communities require 

 hydrographic and bathymetric data of ever-increasing accuracy 

 and coverage. The availability of precise satellite navigation 

 systems, and the integration of these systems with DoD command 

 and control systems, highlight the expanding demand for these 

 data. The diversity of supply sources (e.g. academia, 

 industry, DoD laboratories, U.S. Navy, DMA, NOS, and foreign) 

 requires coordination and oversight. Additionally, emerging 

 technologies for the application of MC&G data require product 

 specifications and implementation. DMA is progressing, with 

 the participation of NOS, in several research and development 

 initiatives that will improve the collection and management of 



