10 THE NAVY OCEANOGRAPHIC OPERATIONS PROGRAM 



Office is the provision of worldwide navigational, hydrographic, 

 and oceanographic data not only to the military services but also 

 to the maritime industry and the general public. Scientific and 

 technical information procured, processed, and disseminated by 

 the Oceanographic Office is made available through its charts and 

 publications, its library and public information services, its field 

 offices, arid the National Oceanographic Data Center, At present 

 approximately 8500 separate nautical, aeronautical, and oceano- 

 graphic charts and publications produced by the Oceanographic 

 Office are available for issue and sale through more than 150 sales 

 agents throughout the world. 



The United States is a member of the International Hydrographic 

 Bureau, and through the Bureau, the Naval Oceanographic Office 

 maintains an exchange of hydrographic charts, publications, and 

 related data with 40 other hydrographic institutions. 



An extensive information exchange relationship is maintained 

 with U.S. Government mapping agencies, including the U. S. Air 

 Force Aeronautical Chart and Information Center, the U. S. Army 

 Map Service, the Coast and Geodetic Survey, and other govern- 

 ment organizations. Exchange agreements assure that Navy 

 requirements are reflected in Air Force, Army, and Coast and 

 Geodetic Survey maps and charts and, similarly, that other agency 

 requirements are incorporated in Navy charts. Additionally, 

 standardization of products and elimination of duplication of effort 

 result from this liaison. 



The Naval Oceanographic Office collects and generates infor- 

 mation in the following operational fields: 



Navigation: Aids and dangers to surface, subsurface, and 

 aerial navigation; radar plotting techniques; satellite-based 

 navigation systems; radio positioning systems; and celestial 

 navigation. 



Cartography and Photogrammetry: Computer methods for 

 cartography and photogrammetry, evaluation of commercial 

 equipment, aerial and underwater stereophotography, 

 satellite photography, chart materials, chart production 

 techniques, video mapping, and visual cockpit displays for 

 aircraft. 



Oceanography and Hydrography: Ocean soundings and 



