FRONTIERS IN OCEANIC RESEARCH 65 



A. The oceans represent the last frontier on Earth of a truly international 

 •character. They are indeed analogous to outer space, and hence our endeavors 

 in this area should command the same importance in international relations 

 as our efforts in outer space. Perhaps for the immediate future, with man- 

 kind's needs for foods and minerals from the oceans, commerce on the seas 

 and the military requirements of the free world, the oceans may be of greater 

 importance internationally than outer space. The United States is now one 

 •of the leaders in oceanic research and in developing international cooperation 

 in the study of the sea, but this leadership is being challenged by the Soviet 

 Union. In order to maintain our international leadership, we must have a well- 

 coordinated national program and by cooperation with other nations take the 

 fullest advantage of the potentials of the sea. 



The Congress can assist in emphasizing the importance of oceanography in 

 international affairs through its continued interest in the marine sciences as 

 has been evidenced in the past with its hearings and legislative actions. 



7. Q. (a) Who makes decisions within the Navy with regard to relative 

 •emphasis of research programs? 



(ft) What criteria are used for evaluating their relative merits and sig- 

 nificance? 



(c) By what procedure can a new program of increasing importance be 

 accelerated, recognizing that it may be at the expense of other existing pro- 

 grams? That is, at management levels, what process of review is employed 

 to evaluate the payoff of research programs and thus to accelerate those showing 

 greatest promise or representing greatest need or arrest those which fail to bear 

 fruit? 



A. (a) Decisions within the Navy with regard to relative emphasis on re- 

 search programs are made by the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research 

 and Development upon advice of the Chief of Naval Research and the Deputy 

 Chief of Naval Operations for Development. The Chief of Naval Research is 

 responsible for the conduct and coordination of naval research and exploratory 

 development in augmentation of and in conjunction with the research and de- 

 velopment programs of the technical bureaus and offices of the Navy. The 

 Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Development, who represents the Chief 

 of Naval Operations, is responsible for the coordination and integration of 

 the research, development, test, and evaluation program of the Navy to in- 

 sure that the total effort is continuously responsive to long range objectives, im- 

 mediate requirements, fiscal limitations, and advancing technology. The 

 DCNO(D) is Chairman of the Navy Research and Development Review Board. 

 Advice from two additional groups is available to the Assistant Secretary of 

 the Navy for Research and Development. The first is the Navy Research 

 and Development Committee composed of representatives from the Office of 

 the Chief of Naval Operations and the technical bureaus and offices. The second 

 is the Naval Research Advisory Committee, a group of distinguished civilians 

 from industry and universities, which was established by Congress to advise 

 the Secretary on the broad aspects of the Navy's research program. 



(?>) The criteria used for evaluating the relative merits and significance of 

 basic research programs are: a critical assessment of their potential contribu- 

 tion to increased knowledge in fields of interest to the Navy ; validity of the 

 approach; results of prior related work; probable impact on Navy technology 

 and operations ; and the competence of the principal investigator. 



(c) A new program of increasing importance can be accelerated by repro- 

 graming (funds, manpower, and facilities), and augmented funding by emer- 

 gency funds or otherwise. 



Reviews of research programs are both formal and informal. Informal re- 

 views by management personnel with working level personnel are on a con- 

 tinuing basis. Formal reviews are conducted as a result of periodic reports 

 such as the annual technical progress report on each project, report of signifi- 

 cant accomplishment, etc.. and a detailed review is made annually of the re- 

 search, development, test, and evaluation program submissions for conform- 

 ance to the guidance contained in operational requirements and annual pro- 

 gram objectives. It must be realized that the payoff on research programs is 

 not always immediate or even immediately obvious, but often forms a back- 

 ground of knowledge for future effort or application. Furthermore, the realiza- 

 tion of some new and important scientific or technical discovery or break- 

 through often follows a large amount of seemingly unproductive effort. 



8. Q. (a) Could you describe present mechanism for interdepartment co- 

 operation? 



