NAVOCEANO’s UUV milestone

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) made history in April while simultaneously commanding and controlling 50 ocean gliders, more than any other governmental or academic entity. This summer the agency will continue to raise that bar to 100. NAVOCEANO is the Navy’s leader in the operation of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). Its oceanographic and engineering departments are on track to exceed their own milestone, achieved in April. Dozens of additional gliders have been launched from a range of platforms over the past months. "We are well on our way to having 100 simultaneously deployed gliders ... as we find new ways to implement automation and gain efficiency." says Bryan Mensi, NAVOCEANO glider operations branch head. The Littoral Battlespace Sensing (LBS) gliders are used to collect environmental data. Military and civilian pilots manning the Glider Operations Center use satellite communications to direct the UUVs while monitoring data collection and glider performance 24/7. These environmental forecasts are imperative to a wide range of naval operations and have numerous applications, from diver safety to detection of submarines to hurricane prediction. NAVOCEANO has been operating gliders for decades, and is now home of the world's largest fleet of these vehicles. (Source: NAVOCEANO 07/30/18) NAVOCEANO is the largest subordinate command within the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command HQ at Stennis. It is responsible for providing oceanographic products and services to all elements of the Defense Department. NAVOCEANO collects data through production and analysis, and provides war-fighters the best knowledge of the maritime battlespace, including tailored oceanographic, hydrographic, bathymetric, geophysical and acoustic products and services that aid in safe navigation and effective mission planning.