years. The Ice Patrol provides ice information on North Atlantic 

 shipping routes, helps vessels in distress, and makes studies of ice 

 and ocean currents. 



Coast Guard participates in many international organizations. 

 Among these is the International Association of Lighthouse Authori- 

 ties (lALA), which keeps the Coast Guard abreast of new foreign 

 developments in navigation aids. 



Electronic and nonelectronic aids extend Coast Guard operations to 

 the Western Pacific, the Arctic, Europe, and the Middle East. Ke- 

 search and development is constantly extending the range and reli- 

 ability of navigational aids, while reducing maintenance costs and 

 personnel requirements. In response to latest developments, the Coast 

 Guard has worked out a 1960 LORAN Planning Study that provides 

 for a gradual transition from LORAN-A to LORAN-C, which will 

 give broader coverage and greater accuracy. 



Present U.S. policy to International Civil Aviation Organization 

 (ICAO) calls for a single system of long-distance aid to sub-surface, 

 surface, and .air navigation. No such proven system exists yet, but 

 LORAN-A and LORAN-C have been internationally accepted as 

 interim systems. Despite the Coast Guard's major role in long-dis- 

 tance aids to navigation, including air, the Secretary of Treasury is 

 not a member of Interagency Group on International Aviation 

 (IGIA), which develops U.S. international air policy. 



Since the operations of a number of agencies are involved with aids 

 to navigation of one sort or another, the Coast Guard has inevitably 

 run into certain conflicts of jurisdiction over who is responsible for 

 operating what, ,and how costs are budgeted. 



Three areas of overlapping responsibility involve the Federal Avia- 

 tion Agency (operation of LORAN) ; the Corps of Engineers (re- 

 sponsibility for marking wrecks) ; and the St. Lawrence Seaway 

 Corporation (operation of aids in the Seaway) . 



However, working agreements are in effect on these points, and 

 permanent solutions are under study. Agreements in other areas 

 regarding navigation aids are in effect with the above agencies and 

 with the Navy and Air Force. Agreements on administrative, com- 

 munication, and logistics support are in effect with the other armed 

 services. 



Cooperation is plainly a key to efficient performance of this su- 

 premely important mission, and should govern all proposals designed 

 to make the program more effective. 



Recommendations 



In cooperation with the Federal Aviation Agency, the Department 

 of Defense, and other interested agencies, the Treasury Department 

 should develop legislation giving the Coast Guard the necessary flexi- 

 bility in the use of electronic aids to navigation ; evaluate long-distance 



670544 O— 63 



13 



