OCEAN SCIENCES AND NATIONAL SECURITY 115 



7. Leadership and support at the Department level for nonmilitary 

 aspects of oceanographic research are not as clearly evident as in the 

 case of the Navy. At present, this responsibility is fragmented. 



8. The United States now maintains a position of international 

 leadership in a number of sectors of research m the ocean. It is 

 visibly ahead in the area of manned vehicles for the exploration of the 

 deep ocean. Logistic support for work in the deep ocean has been re- 

 ported as deficient. 



9. Oceanography is one area of Soviet science gaining govern- 

 ment support and although their history of research in the oceans is 

 relatively short, they show signs of overtaking the United States very 

 quickly. Soviet leadership in study of the Arctic areas is already 

 acknowledged. United States retention of a position of world leader- 

 ship is not assured by current rate of activit}'', even considering some 

 element of growth; if we fall behind, "catching up" in this field would 

 be almost impossible because of the problems in manpower. 



10. A large number of international organizations now cater to 

 interests in oceanography, some representing the scientific communitj^, 

 some the United Nations, some especially constructed to assist in the 

 preservation of fisheries, and some serving miscellaneous regional and 

 international needs. The United States is participating in virtually 

 all of these, through contributions of funds as well as service. 



