Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command
Encyclopedia
The Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (COMNAVMETOCCOM) serves as the operational arm of the Naval Oceanography Program. Headquartered at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, COMNAVMETOCCOM is a third echelon command reporting to United States Fleet Forces Command
(USFLTFORCOM). CNMOC's claimancy is globally distributed, with assets located on larger ships (aircraft carriers, amphibious ships, and command and control ships), shore facilities at fleet concentration areas, and larger production centers in the U.S.
COMNAVMETOCCOM is focused on providing critical environmental knowledge to the warfighting disciplines of Anti-Submarine Warfare; Naval Special Warfare; Mine Warfare; Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance; and Fleet Operations (Strike and Expeditionary), as well as to the support areas of Maritime Operations, Aviation Operations, Navigation, Precise Time, and Astrometry.
The Oceanographer of the Navy works closely with the staff of COMNAVMETOCCOM to ensure the proper resources are available to meet its mission, to act as a liaison between COMNAVMETOCCOM and the Chief of Naval Operations, and to represent the Naval Oceanography Program in interagency and international forums.
, a 19th century repository for nautical charts and navigational equipment. In the 1840s, its superintendent, Lieutenant
Matthew Fontaine Maury
, created and published a revolutionary series of wind
and current
charts. This information, still resident in modern computer models of Ocean basins and the atmosphere
, laid the foundation for the sciences of oceanography
and meteorology
.
Atmospheric science was further developed with the birth of naval aviation
early in the twentieth century. During World War I
and the following decades, naval aerological specialists applied the fledgling concepts of air masses and fronts to warfare and provided forecasts to the first transatlantic flight
.
The Navy's weather and ocean programs contributed greatly to Allied victory in World War II
. In the Pacific, Navy forecasters cracked the Japanese weather code. Hydrographic
survey ships, often under enemy fire, collected data along foreign coastlines for the creation of critical navigation charts.
In the mid-1970s, the Navy's meteorology and oceanography programs were integrated in a single organization reflecting nature's close interaction of sea and air. This structure is today the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command.
The Command's major subordinate activities include the Naval Oceanographic Office
, located at Stennis Space Center Mississippi; Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center
, located in Monterey, California; the Naval Observatory, located in Washington, D.C.; the Naval Oceanography Operations Command, located at Stennis Space Center, Mississippi; and the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Professional Development Center located in Gulfport, Mississippi.
The Command is aligned to and focused on the Navy's five warfighting disciplines Anti-Submarine Warfare; Special Warfare; Mine Warfare; Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance; and Fleet Operations (Strike and Expeditionary)-- as well as the following warfighting support disciplines: Navigation, Precise Time and Astrometry, Maritime Operations and Aviation Operations.
United States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
(USFLTFORCOM). CNMOC's claimancy is globally distributed, with assets located on larger ships (aircraft carriers, amphibious ships, and command and control ships), shore facilities at fleet concentration areas, and larger production centers in the U.S.
COMNAVMETOCCOM is focused on providing critical environmental knowledge to the warfighting disciplines of Anti-Submarine Warfare; Naval Special Warfare; Mine Warfare; Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance; and Fleet Operations (Strike and Expeditionary), as well as to the support areas of Maritime Operations, Aviation Operations, Navigation, Precise Time, and Astrometry.
The Oceanographer of the Navy works closely with the staff of COMNAVMETOCCOM to ensure the proper resources are available to meet its mission, to act as a liaison between COMNAVMETOCCOM and the Chief of Naval Operations, and to represent the Naval Oceanography Program in interagency and international forums.
Mission
It enables the safety, speed and operational effectiveness of our Fleet by illuminating the risks and opportunities for Naval and Joint forces posed by the present and future natural environment.History
The Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command traces its ancestry to the Depot of Charts and InstrumentsUnited States Naval Observatory
The United States Naval Observatory is one of the oldest scientific agencies in the United States, with a primary mission to produce Positioning, Navigation, and Timing for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Department of Defense...
, a 19th century repository for nautical charts and navigational equipment. In the 1840s, its superintendent, Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Matthew Fontaine Maury
Matthew Fontaine Maury
Matthew Fontaine Maury , United States Navy was an American astronomer, historian, oceanographer, meteorologist, cartographer, author, geologist, and educator....
, created and published a revolutionary series of wind
Wind
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
and current
Ocean current
An ocean current is a continuous, directed movement of ocean water generated by the forces acting upon this mean flow, such as breaking waves, wind, Coriolis effect, cabbeling, temperature and salinity differences and tides caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun...
charts. This information, still resident in modern computer models of Ocean basins and the atmosphere
Atmosphere
An atmosphere is a layer of gases that may surround a material body of sufficient mass, and that is held in place by the gravity of the body. An atmosphere may be retained for a longer duration, if the gravity is high and the atmosphere's temperature is low...
, laid the foundation for the sciences of oceanography
Oceanography
Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...
and meteorology
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
.
Atmospheric science was further developed with the birth of naval aviation
Naval aviation
Naval aviation is the application of manned military air power by navies, including ships that embark fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. In contrast, maritime aviation is the operation of aircraft in a maritime role under the command of non-naval forces such as the former RAF Coastal Command or a...
early in the twentieth century. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and the following decades, naval aerological specialists applied the fledgling concepts of air masses and fronts to warfare and provided forecasts to the first transatlantic flight
Transatlantic flight
Transatlantic flight is the flight of an aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean. A transatlantic flight may proceed east-to-west, originating in Europe or Africa and terminating in North America or South America, or it may go in the reverse direction, west-to-east...
.
The Navy's weather and ocean programs contributed greatly to Allied victory in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In the Pacific, Navy forecasters cracked the Japanese weather code. Hydrographic
Hydrography
Hydrography is the measurement of the depths, the tides and currents of a body of water and establishment of the sea, river or lake bed topography and morphology. Normally and historically for the purpose of charting a body of water for the safe navigation of shipping...
survey ships, often under enemy fire, collected data along foreign coastlines for the creation of critical navigation charts.
In the mid-1970s, the Navy's meteorology and oceanography programs were integrated in a single organization reflecting nature's close interaction of sea and air. This structure is today the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command.
Organization
Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command is a third echelon operational command reporting to Commander, Fleet Forces Command. The Command's personnel are located at its headquarters at the John C. Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and at several field activities located around the world.The Command's major subordinate activities include the Naval Oceanographic Office
Naval Oceanographic Office
The Naval Oceanographic Office , located at John C. Stennis Space Center in south Mississippi, comprises approximately 1,000 civilian, military and contract personnel responsible for providing oceanographic products and services to all elements within the Department of Defense.Valued by maritime...
, located at Stennis Space Center Mississippi; Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center
Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center
The Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center , known prior to 1995 as the Fleet Numerical Oceanography Center , is a meteorological and oceanographic center located in Monterey, California...
, located in Monterey, California; the Naval Observatory, located in Washington, D.C.; the Naval Oceanography Operations Command, located at Stennis Space Center, Mississippi; and the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Professional Development Center located in Gulfport, Mississippi.
The Command is aligned to and focused on the Navy's five warfighting disciplines Anti-Submarine Warfare; Special Warfare; Mine Warfare; Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance; and Fleet Operations (Strike and Expeditionary)-- as well as the following warfighting support disciplines: Navigation, Precise Time and Astrometry, Maritime Operations and Aviation Operations.
Source
The source of the information contained in this article is from the official COMNAVMETOCCOM website.External links
- Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command official website