1998 Year of the Ocean The Oceans and National Security 



noncombatants. It also promises the potential for improved tactical and strategic awareness, 

 enabling forces to "fight smarter." Thus, the use of up-to-date information technology and 

 modem sensors can help reduce battlespace confusion, often referred to as the "fog of war." 



Tactical Environmental Support 



A thorough understanding of the dynamics of the ocean environment is necessary for the 

 success of maritime missions. The Navy's operational oceanography community'' is responsible 

 for understanding the effects of the natural environment on the planning and execution of naval 

 operations, and for interpreting atmospheric and ocean phenomena for forces worldwide. This 

 community must respond to new technological opportunities and to new mission needs. 



The ocean and marine environment affect all aspects of naval warfare. Amphibious, mine, 

 and special warfare forces all require rapid, accurate environmental information to support their 

 basic operations. The ocean's structure, which varies due to subtle changes in salinity and 

 temperature, determines how sound propagates through water and thus affects the use of sonars; 

 likewise, the environment can be used to find or hide submarines. Similarly, changes in 

 temperature and moisture through the atmosphere affect radars used to detect incoming aircraft 

 or missiles and can create "ducts" where radars cannot detect incoming threats. Today's high- 

 tech weaponry increasingly requires sophisticated environmental inputs for optimal performance 

 and to support the precision required to engage hostile targets while avoiding collateral damage 

 to civilians persons, property, and other noncombatants. 



In coastal regions, the dynamics of marine weather and ocean processes are closely 

 intertwined and change rapidly in both space and time. Accurate short-term and long-term 

 modeling of ocean effects can contribute greatly to the success of naval operations. Continued 

 rapid advancements in the modeling field, and especially in the modeling of coastal areas, will 

 continue to maximize the operational capabilities of naval forces. 



New technology is continually being exploited, including the use and development of 

 new satellite sensors to collect data remotely— especially in regions where access is limited. 

 Microsensor technology is being exploited to create small, often expendable sensors such as 

 drifting buoys and miniaturized weather stations to gather information on microscale features. 

 Relatively small portable sensors are being used on-scene to conduct rapid coastal surveys and 

 measure near-shore underwater obstacles. 



Despite progress in remote sensing of the environment, vast areas of the world's coastal 

 zones remain devoid of data. Military commanders will continue to require data with ever greater 

 resolution and accuracy to enhance their margin of safety and optimize their decision making. 

 Additionally, advances in computer technologies are needed to analyze such data and improve 

 predictions of the effects of the environment on naval operations. 



6 Headed by the Oceanographer of the Navy on the Chief of Naval Operations Staff and supported by 3,000 plus civilians and 

 military personnel worldwide. 



B-6 



