730 



44 



Appendix IV.E. 



Title: Institute for Naval Oceanography (INO) 



Issue: How can the Navy best "jump start" its numerical ocean modeling capability? 



Relevance: Being able to analyze and predict key ocean structure features on a basic scale, 

 much as had been done w^ith weather, would help Navy decide where best to place their 

 tactical assets and optimize their weapons. 



Background and Approach: At the time, mid-1980s, it was thought that ocean modeling, 

 remote sensing and computational capabilities had all matured to the level that a real "sea 

 change" in ocean prediction capability would occur if effort and resources were focused on 

 that smgie mission; a mini "Manhattan Project" for the oceans. The Chief of Naval Operations 

 (CNO) and Secretary of the Navy, in 1984, created a quasi-government organization with the 

 Naval Oceanographic Research and Development Activity (NORDA) in Mississippi to work on 

 this single initiative. INO was a contract organization under University Consortium for 

 Atmospheric Research (UCAR), but imbedded within NORDA, INO was funded with basic 

 research, exploratory development, and advanced development moneys, basic research being 

 the largest contributor by far. The work was restricted to the unclassified. The INO was 

 disbanded in 1992 at the recommendation of the Commanding Officer/Director of Research of 

 the Naval Research Lab (the evolutionary home for INO) with concurrence of the President 

 UCAR. The dissolution was approved by the Chief of Naval Research (CNR). 



Partners: Navy, UCAR, academic investigators, and an academic advisory board. 



Motivating Factor: Opportunity to "jump start" a global ocean modeling capability for the 

 Navy with obvious spillover to meet civil oceanographic interests. 



Products: Several data assimilation, handling, analysis, and predictive techniques and conduct 

 of several model "bake offs" using standard data sets. 



Impact: Some benefits in technique development, albeit not in the jump-start category. Direct 

 focus on the burgeoning national ocean modeling capability at several universities. 



Lessons Learned: To be successful, an initiative such as INO requires highly visible, consistent 

 support at the highest levels. Long-term commitment, in accordance with the mission of the 

 organization, is also required. The institution must also be defined so as to avoid duplication 

 of similar efforts, while allowing a mission which complements those other organizations. 



