destroy are thrown about so iooseiy, with understandable empha- 

 sis on ''destroy, " that I'm afraid many of us are inclined to over- 

 look the fact that we are still wrestling with "detect. " Detection, 

 of course, is done with sonar. To use sonar effectively we must 

 understand the environment. There has been a substantial increase 

 in the range of detection by sonar and this has been due in large 

 part to our greater knowledge of the ocean environment through 

 oceanography. 



How much do we know about the oceans? A typical example is 

 portrayed by figure 8. 1 which reveals the present inadequate cover- 

 age of bathymetry on a worldwide basis. Practically all oceanog- 

 raphic factors affect sonar performance. 



Bathythermograph data holdings are similarly scanty. Figure 

 8. 2 illustrates large oceanic areas of strategic importance for 

 which we lack sufficient temperature data. 



Acquisition of adequate bottom and temperature data will 

 assist us to furnish sonar operators with charts, tables, and 

 special publications with which they may predict various environ- 

 mental conditions affecting sonar performance in specific operat- 

 ing areas. 



We estimate that we have adequate coverage for about 3 per- 

 cent of the oceanic areas involved. It is fairly obvious that exist- 

 ing or even planned survey ships are inadequate for completion of 

 the task within any reasonable length of time. This then leads to 

 the conclusion that we must get the maximum use from each plat- 

 form at sea in order to collect all of the oceanographic data re- 

 quired by the numerous agencies involved. Within limitations posed 

 by operations and dollar considerations, the Navy intends to assist 

 to the maximum extent possible. Occasionally, oceanographic 

 data collection can be consistent with the primarymission of a 

 combatant unit but it now appears that the best application in the 

 Navy can be achieved with service forces and combatant units dur- 

 ing rotation voyages. 



FIGURE O . I 



U. S. BATHYMETRIC HOLDINGS (1961) . 



68 



