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Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) 



Questions and Answers for the Record 



4 August 1993 Hearing on Dual Use of Technology and Resources for 



Civilian and Defense Oceanography 



1. Beyond research applications, are there commercial uses for the 

 different data sets and-technologies that you discussed in your 

 testimony? 



Yes, there are multiple commercial uses. The sounding data we 

 collect is used in DMA's production of nautical charts covering 

 the world beyond U.S. waters. We make these charts available to 

 the civil mariner under Title 10, U.S. Code. Many of these paper 

 charts are digitized by commercial producers of electronic charts 

 for the recreation boater as well as the merchant marine. DMA 

 also makes unclassified bathymetric data available on request to 

 industry for planning cable-laying or other commercial operations. 



Similarly, DMA's technical manual and other products relating to 

 the earth's gravity field and the ellipsoid for, and to datum 

 transformation to and from, the World Geodetic System 1984 

 (WGS-84), are widely used. The WGS-84 is the reference for the 

 Global Positioning System. DMA's world magnetic model, which we 

 generate every 5 years jointly with the United Kingdom, is also 

 used by the private sector and by virtually all foreign hydro- 

 graphic authorities in producing nautical charts. 



We believe that the digital products DMA makes available to the 

 civil community, such as our World Vector Shoreline and the 

 Digital Chart of the World, are used operationally by industry as 

 well as in research. It is difficult for us to know how the 

 products are being used, for they are in the public domain and are 

 often repackaged, or enhanced for special applications, and sold 

 by private enterprise. We know that there is significant commer- 

 cial interest in bathymetry data, based upon a 1992 study by the 

 Marine Board of the National Research Council (National Academy of 

 Sciences) which ranked bathymetry data as the highest priority 

 data need of offshore industries . 



2. In terms of ocean models and data, what are the security 

 concerns? Why are certain data not released or released after a 

 waiting period? 



The ocean models and data which are subject to security classi- 

 fication are those which can result in products of significant 

 military value being generated by a potential enemy, or give that 

 enemy a sense of where he might intercept, or hide from, our 

 forces . 



In the case of classified bathymetry, the restriction is placed on 

 the data by the collector, the U.S. Navy, not by DMA. Some data 

 can be thinned, or its accuracy slightly degraded, and be 

 declassified in that altered form. Other data, such as some of 



Enclosure 



