FRONTIERS IN OCEANIC RESEARCH 63 



(/) Means to predict the thickness and temperature gradient of upper 

 water layers to determine the propagation for surface sonar systems ; and 

 ((/) Effect of ice thickness, roughness, and composition on acoustic scat- 

 tering and reverberation. 

 In addition, oceanographic research is required to explain many of the 

 phenomena associated with nonacoustic methods of submarine detection now 

 under study. It is anticipated that it will serve as the basis for understanding 

 or for evaluating detection methods yet to be devised. 



2. Q. (a) Does the Navy have an operational requirement for oceanographic 

 research ? 



(&) Is it regarded as part of the ASW program and what priority does it 

 enjoy? 



(c) Could you trace the Navy's program in oceanography over the past 5 

 to 10 years? 



(d) Do you believe that the Navy has catered adequately to military needs 

 of oceanography in the past? That is, are there any military needs for scien- 

 tific information of the sea that are going unanswered because of inadequate 

 programs in the past? 



A. (a) The Navy's program for basic research in oceanography is contained in 

 the TENOC program (for 10 years in oceanography). This document describes 

 the research supported by the Navy in nongovernmental laboratories and insti- 

 tutions. In addition, the Chief of Naval Operations has provided the technical 

 bureaus with operational requirements for military systems in which oceano- 

 graphic research is necessary. 



(b) The oceanography program is included in the Navy ASW program and 

 enjoys the same high priority. 



(c) Since World War II the Navy has been the principal supporter of oceanog- 

 raphy in the United States. Recognizing in early 1956 that the needs for 

 knowledge of the oceans were increasing more rapidly than were the capabili- 

 ties of the science, the Navy, with the Atomic Energy Commission and the 

 Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, was instrumental in the establishment of the 

 Committee on Oceanography under the aegis of the National Academy of 

 Sciences — National Research Council. 



In 1958 the Office of Naval Research prepared a long-range plan (TENOC) for 

 the orderly expansion of oceanographic research to meet the extrapolated needs 

 of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Operations approved the plan on January 1, 

 1959. In February 1959 the summary of recommendations for oceanography 

 1960-70 of the National Academy's Committee on Oceanography was promulgated. 



The Navy is expanding the TENOC program to include aspects of military 

 research and surveys, shipbuilding, and facility construction. National program 

 coordination is now accomplished through the Interagency Committee on Ocea- 

 nography established by the Federal Council for Science and Technology in 

 mid-1959. 



In terms of financial support, the Navy's funding for basic and applied 

 oceanographic research has increased over the past 5 years as follows : 



Fiscal year 1957 $6,076,000 



Fiscal year 1958 5, 646, 000 



Fiscal year 1959 9, 391, 000 



Fiscal year 1960 13, 8S6, 000 



Fiscal year 1961 17, 724, 000 



These do not include funds expended for applied military research in sup- 

 port of weapons and weapon systems development. 



(d) The most critical military needs of oceanography have been given every 

 consideration by the Navy. However, as in many disciplines of science, we rec- 

 ognize that a more extensive basic research program over the past decades would 

 have provided us with a better understanding of the complex oceanic environ- 

 ment. Obviously, better understanding leads directly to better utilization. The 

 Navy's TP]NOC program formalized for the first time the Navy's needs in basic 

 research in oceanography. It is under constant review and is being expanded 

 to include all aspects of the Navy's oceanographic requirements including basic 

 and applied research, military surveys, oceanwide surveys, shipbuilding and 

 shore facility construction. 



3. Q. (a) Do you subscribe to the contention of the Committee on Oceanogra- 

 phy that the program should be accelerated from its present pace? 



