Many lessons learned from U.S. Navy programs are now being incorporated by our own allies. Navy currently has cooperative agreements for collecting survey data with nearly 30 countries. These programs are cost-effective means of leveraging allied efforts to address U.S. requirements for data in littoral regions. Recent changes in world politics have brought unprecedented opportunities for survey access and cooperative oceanographic agreements. During the past year our military survey ships have been operating in the South China Sea, in the Arabian Gulf, and in the Mediterranean.
Negotiations continue on nearly a dozen new international agreements.
The focus of Naval Oceanography remains one of collecting oceanographic data, and fusing oceanographic data from all sources into tactically useful products and services for the Fleet.