solely on their radar image. Both SLAR and 

 FLAR provide valuable clues to target identity, 

 but in most cases, FLAR's superior imaging 

 allows definitive target identification. Figure 

 11 displays the number and types of targets that 

 reconnaissance patrols detected during 2005. 

 Reconnaissance detachments detected a total of 

 35 icebergs; 9% (3) were identified with radar 

 alone (not seen visually), while the remaining 

 91% (32) were identified using a combination 

 of visual and radar information or by visual 

 means alone. 



Figure 11. Breakdown of targets detected by IRDs 

 in 2005 



The Grand Banks is a major fishing 

 area frequented by fishing vessels, ranging in 

 size from 60 to over 200 feet. Determining 

 whether a radar contact is an iceberg or a vessel 

 is difficult with small vessels and small 

 icebergs. These small contacts sometimes 

 create similar radar returns and cannot be 

 differentiated. Therefore, when a radar image 

 docs not present distinguishing features, Ice 

 Patrol classifies the contact as a radar target. 



The Grand Banks region has been 

 rapidly developed for its oil reserves since 

 1997. In November 1997, Hibcrnia, a gravity- 

 based oil-production platform, was set in 

 position approximately 1 50 nm offshore on the 

 northeastern portion of the Grand Banks. In 

 addition to Hibcrnia, other drilling facilities- 

 including Glomar Grand Banks, Terra Nova, 

 and Henry Goodrich — arc routinely on the 

 Grand Banks. Consequently, this escalated 



drilling has increased air and surface traffic in 

 HP's area of responsibility, further 

 complicating target identification. This 

 difficulty is offset, however, by the valuable 

 resources for detecting icebergs that increased 

 traffic on the Grand Banks represents. As stated 

 earlier, IIP relics heavily on information reports 

 from mariners; their reports help IIP create ice 

 limits that arc as accurate and reliable as 

 possible. 



Oceanographic Operations 



Ice Patrol's oceanographic operations 

 peaked in the 1960s, when the U.S. Coast 

 Guard dedicated substantial ship resources to 

 collecting oceanographic data. Since that time, 

 however, HP's involvement in oceanographic 

 surveys on the Grand Banks has declined. The 

 decline is a result of numerous factors, three of 

 which are the most significant. First, increased 

 competition among various U.S. Coast Guard 

 missions made it increasingly difficult for IIP 

 to obtain the ship resources necessary to 

 continue extensive oceanographic surveys. 

 Second, because the capability and reliability of 

 air-dcployablc oceanographic instruments has 

 improved vastly, Ice Patrol can collect 

 oceanographic data without the aid of ships. 

 Finally, the wide availability of oceanographic 

 information now on the Internet enables IIP 

 personnel to focus on iceberg reconnaissance. 



In 2005, IIP collected oceanographic 

 data using AXBTs and air- and ship-deployed 



20 



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2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 



I Air IShip 



Figure 12. WOCE buoy deployments (2001-2005) 



10 



