PREDICTION OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT 



89 



Charts of wave heights and directions of movement provide 

 essential information for ship routing. 



were experienced in shipwear, storm damage, and cargo damage 

 due to faster, smoother, and safer crossings. 



Thermal structure analyses and predictions for use by antisub- 

 marine warfare forces appeared to be the next area for 

 oceanographic forecasters to pursue, since temporal arid spatial 

 changes in the ocean environment were known to influence sonar 

 capabilities. It was envisioned that analyses and predictions of 

 these changes would be of value to ASW planners and tactical 

 commands. Sea surface temperature and layer depth analyses 

 of the western North Atlantic commenced in 1957. The value of 

 these two charts, plus others, was recognized immediately by ASW 

 forces. This initial effort was formalized as the ASWEPS 

 program in 1959. 



The term ASWEPS is an acronym for Anti- Submarine Warfare 

 Environmental Prediction Services. The program is designed to 

 provide surface and sub-surface oceanographic forecasts for use 

 in ASW planning and tactical decision making. ASWEPS rapidly 

 rose in popularity and was elevated to an operational oceano- 

 graphic prediction system in 1966. The Naval Weather Service 

 is the operator of ASWEPS, having been tasked to expand 

 oceanographic services fleet- wide and later to place into worldwide 



