In-stride battlespace characterization

Decades of sustained military oceanographic survey work and data processing have been conducted by the Naval Oceanographic Office in an effort to accurately characterize the Arabian Gulf battlespace. Knowledge of the battlespace provides assured access to forward operating areas essential for the Navy\´s power projection mission. Gaps in knowledge of the battlespace identified while preparing for Operation Iraqi Freedom provided an opportunity to adaptively employ survey assets and sensors for rapid environmental assessment of prioritized areas in the North Arabian Gulf. Those efforts demonstrated the capability and potential to rapidly conduct oceanographic surveys and process data into knowledge "in-stride" to support more agile and mobile Naval forces. Emerging on-board and off-board Antisubmarine Warfare and Mine Warfare systems will yield technology that may be harnessed to organically collect environmental data. Data collection is only one component of in-stride battlespace characterization which is comprised of both rapid data collection and on-scene data processing. Three challenges must be overcome to achieve full potential for a naval in-stride battlespace characterization capability: identify and correct gaps in data collection capabilities, develop a concept of operations for in-stride battlespace characterization, and accelerate R&D of data integration, assimilation, and automatic processing algorithms. As speed and mobility become hallmarks of our Navy, we will need to develop a robust capability to extend foundational oceanographic databases shoreward, through the shallow waters of the littoral, across the mission spectrum from peacetime to hostilities. The opportunity to develop a littoral warfare force multiplying in-stride battlespace characterization capability is upon us now.